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A member of the public jumped the perimeter fence at Lisbon Airport (LIS), Portugal’s busiest airport, on Sunday, appearing on the grass verge between the runway and taxiways. he 36-year-old man was quickly intercepted by airport personnel and then taken away by local police. It is reported by the Portugal Resident that the male was then medically assessed in hospital.
Despite the individual’s breach of the airport perimeter, there was no major interruption to flights or other operations at the airport, and there were no delays to arriving or departing flights. Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) welcomes around 36 million passengers per year, is the home of TAP Air Portugal, and is a focus city for Azores Airlines. The airport is the busiest in the country, ahead of Porto (OPO) and Faro Airport (FAO).
Breached The Airport Perimeter
The individual climbed over the airport perimeter fence on Sunday, August 30, and the incident occurred at around 8:55 AM near Runway 2. According to a report by Aviation Gallery, the crew of a departing TAP Airbus A321 spotted the male and reported him to air traffic control. Initial reports suggest the male was walking calmly, and it is believed that the individual wanted a ‘closer look at airplanes’. The individual was searched and was not carrying a weapon.
After the departing flight raised the alarm, airport personnel approached the individual and intercepted him. The man was then handed over to the Portugal Public Security Police (PSP). Once identified, he was assessed by INEM, Portugal’s emergency medical service, and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.
The strange incident fortunately did not result in an accident, and there was no major disruption to flight operations. Simple Flying reached out to Lisbon Airport for comment; however, an airport spokesperson could not immediately be reached.
Climbed Over The Fence For A Closer Look At Aircraft
This clear security breach has raised a number of questions as to how the individual was able to climb over the airport perimeter fence unnoticed and gain access to an active runway and moving airplanes without being spotted. After the male was intercepted, the airport ordered a runway inspection to check for any foreign objects or other hazards that could have been planted, and none were found.
The male individual is clearly seen in the video above peacefully walking across the airport grounds on the grass verge between the runway and apron where aircraft are parked. He is dressed in a light-coloured shirt, tucked into dark dress pants. He did not put up a fight when approached by airport officials when he was taken away or during his medical assessment.
This case has since been referred to the Public Prosecution Service (Ministério Público) of Portugal, and has ignited discussion around the airport’s perimeter security and whether additional intrusion detection services are needed.
Lisbon Airport Operations
Humberto Delgado Airport is the busiest airport in Portugal, and is located four miles (seven kilometers) from downtown Lisbon. It ranks outside the top ten for the busiest airports in Europe. The airport is the main hub for TAP and its subsidiaries, while also a focus city for Azores Airlines. LIS remains an operating base for both easyJet and Ryanair.
A total of 56 airlines serve Lisbon, providing nonstop flights to 228 year-round destinations, and28 seasonal routes serving nine domestic and 149 international destinations. The top five airlines by destinations served from Lisbon include TAP, Ryanair, easyJet, Iberia and Vueling. TAP remains the largest airline, with the highest margin of services and an extensive network across Europe, Africa and South America.
Fortunately, Sunday’s strange security breach at Lisbon did not end with a serious incident or disruption to airport operations, but it has now raised questions about the fact that the male was able to reach an area alongside active aircraft without being spotted sooner. While this individual seemed harmless, it highlights the need for increased surveillance around airport grounds and improved intrusion detection services.
