FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Roads to Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport reopened early Thursday after law enforcement investigated reports of “suspicious wires,” deputies said.
In a statement Thursday morning, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said it “received information regarding suspicious wires found in a vehicle parked on the upper level of the airport” shortly after 1 a.m. EDT.
“BSO deputies secured the area around the vehicle, evacuated people in the vicinity and shut down all traffic into and out of the airport,” the statement read. “BSO’s Bomb Squad responded to the scene and, after investigating, determined that the wires were not a threat. An all-clear was given shortly after 7 a.m.”
JUST IN: Broward Sheriff’s Office says Fort Lauderdale airport shutdown was because of “suspicious wires found in a vehicle”.
— Brooke Shafer (@BrookeShaferTV) April 1, 2021
Bomb squad was called out and found wires were not a threat. Airport entrances were closed for hours. @CBSMiami pic.twitter.com/KLzhXOiLGp
Here are the latest updates:
Update 7:19 a.m. EDT April 1: In a tweet posted shortly after 7 a.m. EDT, the airport said entrance roadways “have reopened to all traffic, and operations at FLL are gradually returning to normal following an earlier security incident outside of Terminals 2 and 3.”
The airport went on to urge passengers to remain patient as employees re-entered the airport to resume operations.
“Travelers are advised to check with their airline for updated flight information before heading to FLL,” the tweet read. “We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding during this time as we work to get everyone safely to their final destinations.”
#TrafficUpdate - roadways are now open into FLL.. pic.twitter.com/xptVeGWbN1
— Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Int'l Airport (FLL) (@FLLFlyer) April 1, 2021
Original report: All roads to Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport were closed early Thursday amid an investigation, multiple news outlets are reporting.
#BREAKING Suspicious incident at #FLL Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has forced ALL entrance roads to CLOSE, while BSO investigates at Terminals 2 & 3. Traffic backed up! We are LIVE @nbc6 @JuliaNBC6. Check @FLLFlyer for updates as well. pic.twitter.com/9jshC7WeUL
— Vanessa Morales (@NewsDeskChica) April 1, 2021
According to WTVJ and WPLG, the airport took to Twitter shortly after 4:30 a.m. to announce that “all entrance roadways” to the airport “are temporarily closed due to a law enforcement investigation outside of Terminals 2 and 3.” WTVJ reported that authorities found a suspicious package in the area about 2 a.m.
“Disruptions to airport operations may be possible, and travelers are advised to check with their airline for the latest flight status before coming to the airport,” the airport tweeted.
— Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Int'l Airport (FLL) (@FLLFlyer) April 1, 2021
At 6 a.m., FlightView, a website that tracks the status of current and upcoming flights, showed numerous delays at the airport.
Check back for more on this developing story.
Cox Media Group
