Media reports on Sunday 16th September stated an alleged bomb threat was affecting a Binter plane, which was due to make the 18:30 trip from Porto Santo to Funchal this evening.
Online the newspaper says “JM had already tried to confirm the news about 20 minutes ago (around 18.00 Sunday), but neither Porto Santo nor ANA nor PSP admitted any problems. The airport services also reported that the flight would leave at the scheduled time”.
A few minutes later the Diario correspondent in Porto Santo reported that more than 20 passengers were prevented from boarding the plane to Madeira. Among these were the Regional Secretary of Tourism, Paula Cabaço, and other prominent Madeirans who were on the island in connection with the Colombo Festival.
Authorities, including a member of the criminal investigation brigade, were at the scene to investigate the situation, as well as the director of Isabel Velosa Airport.
The passengers have left the plane and returned to the embarkation zone and were only told that “the flight is delayed”. An eyewitness reported some suitcases being removed from the hold of the plane.
Later the same evening the incident has now been reported as a false alarm, and the flight eventually departed 90 minutes