Canada is using Greece to help its citizens escape Israel-Hamas war
A bomb scare unfolded at Athens International Airport on Thursday evening on an airplane shuttling Canadian citizens from Israel to Greece, when an alleged Canadian journalist orchestrated a prank.
Media report that the individual approached an information kiosk at the airport and falsely claimed that there was a bomb on the plane arriving from Tel Aviv.
Security and trained dogs conducted an inspection of the plane but found no bomb.
The 27-year-old said he was a journalist assigned to report on the Canadian Air Force evacuation of Canadians from Israel, and that the bomb scare was to “test the readiness of Greek authorities at Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport.”
Authorities have the man in custody and are trying to verify whether he is truly a journalist, according to Kathimerini.
It is likely the Canadian national will face charges related to the unnecessary mobilisation of authorities.
With the Israel-Hamas war escalating, many foreigners are trying to get back home, that including Greeks, Australians and Canadians.
Canada was using two military planes to transport hundreds of its citizens to Athens, where they will then be flown to Toronto.
Meanwhile around 300 Greek citizens have been reported to have returned to Greece on chartered flights by the Foreign Ministry.
Source : Neoskosmos