18-05-2025
Garda hospitalised after Shannon Airport security incident as arrests made
A member of An Garda Síochána was hospitalised following a security incident at Shannon Airport on Saturday afternoon.
Three women were arrested after they allegedly gained access to the airside area of the airport and caused criminal damage to an aircraft. It's the second security incident at Shannon this month.
The incident is believed to have occurred at around 4.30pm on Saturday. The last aircraft to land before the incident touched down at around 4.25pm.
Once the security breach was detected, operations were brought to a standstill forcing three arriving aircraft into holding patterns. Flight crews were advised by air traffic controllers that there had been an 'incident' at the airport.
The Shannon-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter, which was preparing to depart on a training exercise, was also grounded once operations were suspended.
It's understood this fire cover at the airport was reduced as a result of personnel from Shannon Airport Police and Fire Service responding to the security incident thus, without the required amount of fire cover, operations were halted.
Three women are believed to entered the airport an approached an Omni Air International aircraft parked at Stand 42 at the end of the terminal building. They are understood to have thrown red paint onto forward section of an Omni Air International Boeing 767-330(ER) aircraft that was parked there.
All three were detained and when it was confirmed there were no other persons at large, operations at Shannon resumed. The crews of the holding aircraft were advised shortly before 5pm that operations had returned to normal. Operations were affected for less than 30 minutes.
A Garda spokesperson confirmed: "Gardaí responded to an incident of criminal damage at Shannon Airport, Co. Clare that occurred shortly after 4pm this afternoon Saturday 17th May, 2025.
"Three females, aged between 20 and 50 years breached the perimeter fence and caused criminal damage. The three women were arrested at scene and are currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at Garda stations in Co. Clare.
"During the course of the arrests one member of An Garda Síochána was injured and has since been taken to University Hospital Limerick for assessment. Her injuries are non-life threatening. Investigations ongoing."
Saturday's security incident is the second of its kind at the airport this month.
On May 1, three people were arrested after they allegedly entered the airport grounds after crashing a van into a security fence. The van was stopped from entering an airport taxiway after it got stuck in a drain.
