In the early afternoon, a specially trained explosives detection dog at Montreal Airports reportedly responded to one of the passengers' suitcases. La Presse
A major security alert took place at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport on Wednesday when two travelers with false identities and a suspicious suitcase raised alarms. Although the situation ultimately proved to be a false alarm, both individuals were arrested.
Fraudulent Tickets and Suspicious Behavior
Two people, who are believed to have traveled from Europe to Montreal, used fraudulent tickets and false names to board their flights. Their suspicious actions caught the attention of airport authorities, prompting a swift response. As a precaution, the planes they were on were escorted by CF-18 and F-16 fighter jets, along with a KC-135 tanker aircraft, to monitor the situation until they safely landed at their destination.
Upon arrival at the airport in the early afternoon, a specially trained dog from Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), skilled in detecting explosives, reacted to one of the passengers’ suitcases. This led to additional security measures being put in place at the airport. Eric Forest, a spokesperson for ADM, stated that one of the leads in the investigation was closed to ensure safety, and the situation was carefully handled.
Airport Response and Delays
As the investigation continued, NAV CANADA implemented a "traffic management initiative" to handle the potential security situation. The Sûreté du Québec (SQ), Quebec’s provincial police, also sent officers to the airport to assist. While the airport took these precautions, delays were reported for some domestic and international flights.
By 5 p.m., ADM confirmed that both runways had reopened, though the situation had caused disruptions to flight schedules. Around 6 p.m., the investigation concluded, and the security alert was deemed "unfounded." ADM spokesman Eric Forest stated, “No further details will be disclosed on the situation.”
Two Men Arrested
In the aftermath of the event, two men—one in his twenties and the other in his thirties—were arrested. They were aboard the flights that had raised suspicions. Béatrice Dorsainville, spokesperson for the SQ, confirmed that the two men were being questioned and could face charges, including fraud.
Confusion Over Bomb Threat
During the afternoon, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had warned that flights to Montreal-Trudeau Airport were grounded due to a bomb threat. The FAA’s advisory was later amended to remove the mention of a bomb threat, as neither the airport nor the Sûreté du Québec confirmed such a claim. Béatrice Dorsainville clarified that there had been no bomb threat. "In the case of a bomb threat, the airport must be completely evacuated, which was not the case here," she explained, emphasizing that the suspicious package situation was far less serious.
Previous Threat Concerns
The event followed a period of heightened security concerns, particularly in Quebec and the United States, following the start of the war against Iran. Just earlier in March, authorities had responded to fears of a possible terrorist hijacking, which also proved to be unfounded. In that case, fighter jets were again deployed, and police were on standby to manage the situation.
