PHILIPSBURG--Prosecutors will press criminal charges against whoever phoned in a false bomb threat to Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) Friday.
They expect airlines, Simpson Bay businesses, and even the airport to file civil suits for lost money after a call at 5:47pm about a "security threat" – as officials call it – led to a shut-down of the airport. Traffic was crippled on both sides of the airport and hundreds of passengers headed out of the island were left stranded.
Chief Prosecutor Hans Mos said Sunday that the investigation had only just begun, but that the caller and anyone else involved would face criminal mischief charges for the false alarm. "If we find out who did it, we will prosecute," Mos said, adding that dozens of establishments had lost a lot of money in an evening without business. "I suppose the airlines that lost business will also be filing suit to get money back."
He estimated losses in hundreds of thousands for a nearly six-hour response that stopped drivers on either side of the airport and led to police officers, airport security personnel and fire fighters sweeping the entire building and its surroundings. They also checked several planes and the passengers' luggage.
Mos praised the overall response to the security alert and noted that several of the police officers involved in the search had received training in searching for and handling explosives. However, the St. Maarten Police Force's dogs have not been trained for this type of search. He suggested this might be something authorities should consider while preparing for possible future security threats.
Some 25 flights were scheduled to come and go from 6:00pm to midnight when the emergency response was highest. Officials lifted emergency status at 11:45pm Friday and the airport reopened at 7:00am Saturday.
