The unexploded shell. Photo courtesy of Ben Gur
An American family sparked panic in an Israeli airport after they tried to get an unexploded artillery shell through security. Footage from Ben Gurion Airport shows terrified travellers scrambling for safety, while others ducked under chairs and tables for cover. One man is believed to have been injured after jumping on a luggage conveyor belt and falling.
Authorities said the American family had taken the shell as a souvenir from their visit to the Golan Heights, an area that Israel seized from Syria in 1967 and is considered occupied territory under international law.“When they arrived to check their luggage, they showed the piece of the shell to security,” Israel’s airport authority said in a statement. “Since it was a piece of a shell, the evacuation of the area was announced.”After being interviewed by airport security, the family were later allowed to board their flight – without the unexploded shell.