Gatwick evacuation: Bomb squad deployed following Airport evacuation - what we know so far

A bomb squad has been deployed to London Gatwick Airport following a security incident.

Alarm bells were raised when a ‘suspected prohibited item’ was found in a passenger’s luggage, reports ITV news.

A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated and a security cordon has been put in place.

According to reports, some roads around the terminal have also been closed causing traffic disruption.

The public has been advised to avoid the area where possible.

A statement from Gatwick

An update from Gatwick Airport officials says: “The South Terminal remains closed as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident.

“Passengers are not able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing and trains are not currently stopping at Gatwick Airport.

“The safety and security of our passengers and staff remains our top priority. Passengers should contact their airline for further information.”

Everything we know so far:

The South Terminal was evacuated just before 11am, following the announcement of a ‘security incident.’

Sussex Police issued a statement saying an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was dispatched to the airport "as a precaution" following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage.

Gatwick has advised passengers to check with their airlines with questions.

National Rail announced that no services will stop at the airport as police continue to investigate the incident - they expect the disruption to continue until around 2pm.

There is severe traffic disruption on several roads around Terminal 3.