Friday morning brought an unexpected turn of events at Heraklion’s “Nikos Kazantzakis” Airport: passengers sipping their morning coffees had no idea they’d become part of Greece’s first large-scale anti-terrorism exercise. The operation wasn’t just a routine drill—it involved the highly coordinated efforts of the Hellenic Police Special Forces, the Army, the Fire Brigade, the Coast Guard, the National Centre for Emergency Care (EKAV), and the Civil Aviation Authority.
Chaos Unleashed: Explosives and a Gunman
ERT Heraklion confirmed the rehearsal kicked off with a phone call to authorities, claiming bombs had been planted in the passenger area. If you’re wondering, yes, actual (disabled) explosives were cunningly hidden, but an ever-reliable police sniffer dog located the threat without skipping a sniff.
As the Army’s bomb disposal unit began its response, things snowballed. Out of nowhere, a man carrying a gun and strapped with explosives burst onto the scene like an action film gone wrong. The gunner managed to shoot (thankfully, a simulation) and even take hostages, making a bad day worse for airport security. The elite Counter-Terrorism Unit of the Hellenic Police had no choice but to intervene, rescuing hostages with the kind of precision that makes action film stunts look half-hearted.
In a nod to realism, the airport was actually evacuated. Yes, actual passengers—holidaymakers fresh off their flights and duty-free shoppers clutching overpriced bottles of sunscreen—joined the drill under strict guidance. Airport staff marched out, too, leaving behind coffee cups and half-eaten sandwiches as controlled chaos reigned.
Why This Airport? Size—and Stakes—Matter
If one wonders why Greece christened Heraklion’s airport with this exercise, consider this: “Nikos Kazantzakis” isn’t just another terminal; it’s a behemoth in the summer months, processing over five million passengers annually. With more than 100 daily charter flights arriving during the tourist season, it’s a revolving door for tourists, making it the perfect place to simulate a high-pressure security crisis.
Key Details You Should Know
- Who participated: Hellenic Special Forces, the Army, Fire Brigade, Coast Guard, EKAV, and Civil Aviation Authority.
- What happened: A coordinated anti-terrorism exercise featuring planted explosives, a gunman, and hostages.
- Where: Heraklion Airport, Crete (“Nikos Kazantzakis”).
- When: This morning, conducted under the oversight of ERT Heraklion.
- Why here: The airport’s high passenger traffic and strategic importance make it an ideal training scenario.
- How it ended: Hostages were “rescued,” explosives were disarmed, and presumably, everyone got back to their coffee… eventually.
By all accounts, this event served as more than practice for worst-case scenarios. It underscored the complexity and speed needed to coordinate multiple agencies in a crisis. Also, the real passengers’ direct involvement likely gave them some first-hand insight into the seriousness of such emergencies—not precisely the kind of memory you expect to take home from a Greek holiday.
