More than a dozen flights were cancelled and hundreds of passengers were evacuated from Hamburg Airport after 68 people were affected by a hazardous toxin that was most likely spread through the airport's air conditioning system. The airport released a statement saying both police and firefighters had concluded from their initial investigation that pepper spray was most likely the substance that injured the passengers.
Authorities are still investigating what caused the substance to enter the airport's air conditioning system in the first place. The 68 people who were affected - both passengers and staff members - complained about feeling nausea, having breathing problems, and burning eyes. The airport was forced to cancel all ingoing and outbound flights for an hour due to the incident. A total of 14 flights had to be cancelled and several planes also had to be diverted due to the evacuation, according to a report by The Independent.
Evacuees who were unaffected by the mysterious toxin had to wait outside the airport in freezing temperatures, but were quickly allowed back in once the investigation had concluded. Special areas were designated outside of the airport by firefighters where people who had physical symptoms of exposure to the toxins were being examined.
Karen Stein, a spokesperson for the Hamburg Airport, said they were "working closely with authorities to find out more" and that they had to cancel all scheduled flights until at least 2pm. Authorities believe that a corrosive substance was discharged around an area where passengers' luggage are scanned by security staff.
According to CBC, German authorities have ruled out the notion that the incident was an act of terrorism or any form of attack. "I want to explicitly deny that this was a terrorist attack. As far as we know it was at no period considered a terrorist attack", Hamburg fire department spokesman Torsten Wessely.
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