Flights halted at Larnaca Airport due to ‘terror alert’ in Greek Cypriot Administration

By Mehmet Kemal Firik and Asiye Latife Yilmaz

LEFKOSA / ISTANBUL (AA) – Larnaca Airport in the Greek Cypriot Administration was temporarily shut down on Monday following a "terror suspect" alert involving a passenger on a flight from Moldova.

Greek Cypriot security sources told Philenews that the alert was triggered by a suspicious passenger, clarifying that it was not a hijacking incident.

Greek Cypriot Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis said police are handling the situation and had questioned the passenger in question.

As authorities searched the aircraft, incoming flights to Larnaca were redirected to Paphos Airport.

Following police investigations and the suspect’s statement, flights at Larnaca Airport resumed some five hours later.

Last month, Israeli intelligence services and security forces did investigations at Larnaca Airport after reports of a potential attack targeting Israelis.