Thousands of passengers experienced tense moments this Sunday at Miami International Airport.
A large-scale security operation forced the evacuation of the south terminal after the discovery of a suspicious package near gate 21.
The deployment, which included the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office bomb squad, paralyzed operations on a day already complicated by extreme weather in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the Argentine News Agency.
The incident was concentrated in the Departures area, forcing the immediate closure of TSA checkpoints in concourses G, H, and J. Airport management also restricted vehicular access, causing kilometers-long traffic jams at the entrances.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of confusion and running. “They ordered us to leave immediately without giving us any explanation,” said one passenger.
Although reports circulated about loud noises in the security area, authorities confirmed that there were no injuries and that the procedure was strictly preventative to allow explosives experts to do their work.
The security threat couldn’t have come at a worse time. The U.S. air travel system was already reeling from a winter storm that caused thousands of cancellations across the country. Miami, which serves as the main hub between North America and Latin America, saw delays multiply exponentially due to the partial closure.
Toward the end of the day, MIA management reported that operations would begin to gradually return to normal, although they recommended that travelers check their flight status before heading to the terminal.
The combination of the police operation and the arctic weather is expected to leave lingering delays that will affect international connections for the next 48 hours.
