KLM jet in runway shoot-out
Passengers waiting to fly from Johannesburg to Amsterdam on a KLM flight witnessed a shoot-out on the runway as armed robbers attempted to steal “high-value” cargo from the plane.
The South African website news24.com reports that five men opened fire on security workers, as passengers waited for the Boeing 747 to take off. Two police officers were seriously injured in the gun-fight, the website reports, while the robbers fled empty-handed.
Concerned KLM representatives reportedly met with South African airport authorities on Friday to discuss the incident.
While South African authorities have not identified the “high-value” cargo, the Johannesburg newspaper The Star reportedly states that it was made up of gold and diamonds.
The incident reportedly led to several flights being delayed and the airport being shut for two hours.
Since the attempted heist, which took place on Thursday, several South African newspapers have reported on how easy it is to breach security at Johannesburg’s international airport.
The Weekend Argus managed to get a reporter to the “airside” part of the facility the day before the shooting incident, reporting that breaking into the airport is “child’s play”.
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd
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