A day after Victoria International Airport was shut down, North Saanich RCMP shared a few details about what caused the closure.
Employees at Victoria airport contacted RCMP after they discovered a checked bag with “suspicious-looking items,” according to a statement.
The bag was located at the departures check-in.
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Employees examined the bag through their usual scanning process, but a Canadian Air Transport Security Authority employee became concerned after seeing what appeared to be incendiary devices.
RCMP officers were contacted immediately, and they travelled to the airport shortly after.
After a brief investigation, the man to whom the bag and items belonged was taken into custody.
An area of the airport was cordoned off shortly after, as recommended by explosive disposal experts. According to RCMP, officers soon discovered a second bag that belonged to the same individual, but it could not safely be scanned or examined.
After consultation with NavCan and Victoria Airport Authorities, the departures wing was temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.
The final determination was that the bag contained inert military surplus explosives.
The man in custody was released shortly after but had an upcoming court date. The airport is also open for normal operations as there’s no longer a threat to the public.
“The RCMP is reminding travellers to confirm the items you are travelling with are permitted on aircraft or that you have prior permission to travel with certain items,” said Corporal Andres Sanchez, Media Liaison Officer with the Sidney North Saanich RCMP, in a statement.
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