A plane carrying Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa was compelled to abort its landing and return to Harare after a bomb scare at Victoria Falls International Airport on Friday.
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba confirmed the bomb threat and said the incident has placed Zimbabwe’s security services on high alert.
“This morning Zimbabwe airport authorities were made aware of an e-mail sent through FastJet Airline by one John Doe claiming a ‘credible bomb/firearm threat’ targeting Zimbabwean airports,” Charamba said in a statement.
He added: “As a precaution, the country’s security systems are now on heightened alert following this message whose source and credibility are also being investigated.”
Charamba emphasized that while Zimbabwe is generally peaceful and its ports of entry are well secured, any alerts related to possible terrorist attacks are treated with utmost seriousness.
Mnangagwa, who was scheduled to address a meeting in the resort town of Victoria Falls, had to suspend his trip due to the unfolding situation.
“The nation is urged to remain calm while investigations are underway, the results of which will be made public by relevant arms of government once investigations are concluded,” Charamba added.
In addition to President Mnangagwa’s plane, a Kenyan Airways flight originating from Nairobi faced disruptions.
The Kenyan flight held for several minutes before diverting its course to Livingstone, Zambia, as a precautionary measure.
JN/APA