Police sent a special response team to King Phalo International Airport in KuGompo City, Eastern Cape, after a bomb threat against a FlySafair flight.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said officers got an anonymous call. The caller claimed there was a bomb on board flight FA388, which had flown in from Johannesburg.
All 182 passengers and six crew members got off the plane safely, according to police.
“The scene is being managed by the relevant authorities, and investigations into the origin of the threat are ongoing. No further information is available at this stage,” Gantana said.
Gantana said a multidisciplinary response team was at the airport. It included the Bomb Disposal Unit and K9 dogs trained to find explosives.
Hostage negotiators, Disaster Management, Airport Security and Emergency Medical Services were also part of the response, police said.
Police did not give more details about the aircraft or the nature of the threat. They also did not say whether any suspicious items had been found.
FlySafair said it was told about a possible security threat linked to flight FA388. The flight was operating from Johannesburg to East London with 182 passengers and six crew on board.
The airline said the plane continued its journey and landed safely at King Phalo Airport at 08:49. It said all passengers had since left the aircraft safely.
FlySafair said it told all the relevant authorities straight away and was working fully with them. It said the aircraft was being held as part of standard security steps.
The airline said no flights were cancelled because of the incident. It said all its other operations were running as normal.
FlySafair thanked its crew and ground staff for handling the situation calmly and following safety rules. It also apologised to passengers for the trouble and thanked them for their patience.
The airline thanked the South African Police Service, King Phalo Airport and the emergency teams on site for their quick response.
FlySafair said it could not comment further because the investigation is still active. It said questions about the case should go to SAPS, through Brigadier Gantana.
Authorities have not yet said when normal operations at the airport will resume. The investigation into the anonymous call is continuing, police said.
Source: this article is based on reporting by The South African. Image: The South African. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice News desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Kgomotso Maake covers news and politics for Tzaneen Voice. Kgomotso reports on government, Parliament, municipalities, courts, crime and service delivery across South Africa, with a close eye on how national decisions reach towns like Tzaneen and the wider Limpopo province. Stories are written in plain English and focus on the facts: who made the decision, what it means, and what happens next.