Dublin Airport was forced to evacuate today after an individual onboard a flight to New York was believed to have been travelling with ‘detonators’ in their luggage.
An ‘extreme security alert’ was raised after the suspected devices were discovered in the passenger’s checked bag, senior security sources have told the Irish Independent.
The suspect, who was travelling to JFK Airport on a flight from London Heathrow via Ireland, engaged with police, though no formal arrest was made.
In a statement issued this afternoon, Garda said: ‘Earlier this afternoon, Saturday 20th September 2025, An Garda Síochána responded to a report of an item of airline luggage of concern at Dublin Airport.
‘As a precaution, Terminal 2, Dublin Airport was evacuated and traffic entering Dublin Airport was restricted.
‘An Garda Síochána requested the assistance of the Defence Forces’ Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team.
‘Following a preliminary examination on scene, the piece of luggage was contained and deemed safe for removal from T2 to an alternate location which would not impact on airport operations.’
Dublin Airport has since reopened, with the Terminal 2 building receiving the ‘all clear’.
Dublin Airport was forced to evacuate today after an individual onboard a flight to New York was believed to have been travelling with ‘detonators’ in their luggage. Pictured: passengers wait outside Dublin Airport earlier today after being evacuated from the Terminal 2 building
While flights have since resumed, disruption is expected for the remainder of the day.
Earlier today, huge crowds of people were pictured outside of the Terminal 2 building, with members of the Garda and airport police pictured on the scene, while parts of the road were cordoned off.
At the time, Dublin airport said that the airport had been evacuated as a ‘precautionary measure’.
In a statement issued at the time, they said: ‘Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport has been evacuated this morning as a safety precaution.
‘Passenger and staff safety is our top priority. Anyone at the airport should follow staff to assembly points.
‘Flight operations may be temporarily impacted.
‘Please check with your airline for updates. Further info to follow. Thank you for your patience.’
An ‘extreme security alert’ was raised after the suspected devices were discovered in the passenger’s bag, senior security sources have claimed. The passenger was travelling to JFK Airport on a flight from London Heathrow via Ireland. Pictured: crowds outside of the airport
The incident in Dublin comes just hours after a cyber attack disrupted check-in and boarding systems across several other major European airports.
Concerns have been raised that the incident could have been a ‘coordinated element’ in the cyber attack.
Passengers are experiencing delays at three airports after hackers targeted Collins Aerospace, which provides services for multiple airlines globally, on Friday night.
Heathrow has warned of delays and advised customers to check their flight status with their airline before travelling, while a number of departures were also cancelled.
Brussels and Berlin have also been affected by the cyber attack, with the former confirming that 10 flights had been cancelled and 17 flights were experiencing delays of more than one hour.
