April 20, 2016

Germany’s Cologne Bonn Airport makes part of confidential emergency plan public

Part of a confidential emergency response plan for Germany's Cologne Airport was made publicly available on the airport's website since November 2015, the country's broadcaster ZDF has reported.

By Lopamudra Roy

Part of a confidential emergency response plan for Germany’s Cologne Airport was made publicly available on the airport’s website since November 2015, the country’s broadcaster ZDF has reported.

The 230-page long document, which was for internal use only, remained on the website for several months until it was removed after a query from ZDF, according to the broadcaster.

Airport officials claim that excerpts of its emergency plan have been removed from its website and an investigation has been launched, reported The Wall Street Journal.

The document contained clear instructions for handling natural disasters, air accidents and terrorist attacks or hostage takings, as well as details about where passengers should gather in the event of an emergency.

"In this respect, we are surprised at the results of the tests conducted by the EU inspectors at Cologne-Bonn airport."

The news has raised concerns about security at the airport, particularly after the recent terrorist attacks in Brussels, and comes days after German authorities called for improved security measures at the airport.

In February, European Union (EU) inspectors successfully smuggled fatal weapons and bomb-building materials through Germany’s Cologne Bonn Airport during a sting operation.

The airport has failed to detect contraband several times, raising doubts about aviation security standards in Germany.

Between 8 and 11 February, the airport’s X-ray units prevented only six out of 12 attempts to smuggle objects in hand luggage, reported public broadcaster WDR.

After being informed of the test, Cologne Airport security staff still failed to identify nine out of 12 deadly objects carried by the EU inspectors.

German security firm Kotter Services, which is responsible for security checks at Cologne Airport, stated its employees could pass 98% of the tests conducted by the German federal police.

Kotter Services managing director Klaus Wedekind was quoted by The Telegraph as saying: "In this respect, we are surprised at the results of the tests conducted by the EU inspectors at Cologne-Bonn airport."

Wedekind claims that immediate action has been taken by the company to further train its employees.