Panic at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport as family tries to bring home unexploded bomb as souvenir

Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion international airport (TLV) was a scene of chaos and panic when an American family holidaying in Israel tried to take home an undetonated bomb as souvenir.

Airport officials told The Times of Israel that the family had visited Israel’s Golan Heights, a region occupied by Syria until 1967. The area had been hit by heavy bombings and artillery especially when Syria tried to reclaim it in 1973.

Due to its attractive natural landscape, day tours to Golan Heights are popular among tourists in Israel who want an ‘off the beaten track’ destination.

According to local news, during the family’s trip to Golan Heights, one of the children found the ‘piece of shell’, kept it and planned to take it back to the US as a souvenir.

“When they arrived to check their luggage, they showed the piece of the shell to security,” authorities from the airport told local news.

“Since it was a piece of a shell, the evacuation of the area was announced.”

As the evacuation announcement sparked fears of attack, panic and chaos ensued at the terminal.

A 32-year old man was injured and evacuated for medical treatment when he jumped on a moving baggage carousel in the thick of panic and confusion.

Airport evacuation was canceled as soon as the airport bomb squad determined that the situation was not an active security event.

Local reports say that the incident is currently under operational investigation.