The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) conducted a comprehensive security exercise at Entebbe International Airport on Thursday. The purpose of the exercise was to assess the readiness of airport stakeholders in responding to a simulated bomb threat.
In this exercise, a fictitious scenario involved Flight No. AF 347, with 40 passengers and 3 crew members on board. The aircraft’s Air Traffic Control was notified of a bomb threat note discovered by a crew member in the aircraft’s lavatories while it was taxiing for take-off.
All relevant airport stakeholders, including airline operators, ground handling agents, security forces, United Nations representatives, UCAA staff, health personnel, and government agencies, participated in the exercise to evaluate their response in line with the security contingency plan.
Fred Bamwesigye, the Director General of UCAA, explained that such security exercises are mandatory for international airports in countries that are contracting member states of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The purpose is to test emergency contingency response plans and assess communication processes, procedures, and collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and government agencies.
A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was issued to inform operators of commercial flights in and out of Entebbe International Airport about the exercise, which took place between 2:00 and 4:00 pm.
The last time UCAA conducted a similar full-scale security exercise was on November 4, 2019.
