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Two men were arrested after allegedly trespassing on to an airport tarmac to catch their flight
The incident occurred at Cologne/Bonn Airport in Germany on Friday, Nov. 21, police confirmed to PEOPLE
Videos shared on social media show the men approaching the plane as it prepares to take off
Two plane passengers attempting to travel from Germany to Romania were arrested after they were caught running on the tarmac to catch their flight, federal police have confirmed to PEOPLE.
The incident occurred on Friday, Nov. 21, at the Cologne/Bonn Airport in Germany. According to a translated report from the newspaper Bild, around 9:25 p.m. local time, two men dressed in dark clothing were spotted running across the tarmac towards a departing Wizz Air flight. Video of the men shared on social media shows their attempt to reach the Airbus A321; however, they were stopped in their tracks by an airport employee. The plane’s red flashing lights were illuminated, indicating it was about to taxi towards the runway.
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A sign for Colgone/Bonn Airport in Germany
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A spokesperson for the Federal Police Inspectorate at the Cologne/Bonn Airport tells PEOPLE the men had gained “unauthorized access” to the airport apron via an emergency exit after passing through security.
“The two Romanian men (47- and 28-years-old) had passed through the airport’s security checkpoint normally and without incident but were unable to reach their departure gate before it closed,” the representative shared in an email statement.
Bild reports the men allegedly smashed the glass covering an emergency switch at 9:33 p.m. and pressed the button to open a door with access to the tarmac.
“The men were apprehended by airport security personnel and handed over to the Federal Police,” the spokesperson said. “Officers escorted them from the secure area.”
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Two Wizz Air planes
Despite the breach, the police spokesperson said aviation security “was never compromised, and flight operations were not affected.”
“Criminal investigations for trespassing have been initiated against the men,” police said. “A violation of the Aviation Security Act is also currently being investigated.”
The representative also emphasized that the men subsequently put themselves at risk: “Unauthorized persons endanger themselves if they move around the apron area without instructions from airport personnel.”
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According to FlightAware, the Wizz Air trip to Bucharest, Romania, departed five minutes early and landed shortly before 1 a.m. local time on Saturday, Nov. 22.
Read the original article on People