Not much of an adventure, but it was very exciting – for a few minutes!
Some idiot (we assumed) had left their bag unattended near one of the check-in desks, and after several requests over the PA system for the owner to collect it, the police moved in and taped off half the airport… Massive frustration to all the passengers who were trying to get their planes about to leave. We were lucky, our transfer had got us to the airport with plenty of time to watch the unfolding events.
Soon a robot appeared! And soon after that it shot the bag, with a small controlled explosion!!! π―
I guess it had already “smelt” or x-rayed the contents to allow the operators to be reasonably sure that shooting it was safe!? It was after all quite a large bag, and had it been packed with explosives and had it detonated (for example when it was shot! π― ) I’m certain the whole airport check-in area would have been leveled. No plane home for us then…
After that, and seeing as everyone and everything (except the bag) was still in one piece, the police checked the contents of the bag by hand. That idiot I mentioned earlier had their underwear unceremoniously scattered over the airport floor!
Sorry, it was all too exciting to remember to get the camera out until after the explosion! π
Doh – on the spot reporter, Pete Sterling, missed the Β£million picture! π
It was quite exciting tho’ for a few minutes, and I was very glad we weren’t all sent outside into the freezing cold for safety.
I’m a much worse on the spot reporter than Mr Sterling. A couple of years ago I was returning from Chile via Madrid airport where I fell asleep after a very long flight (and perhaps a couple of beers). I awoke to scenes of some confusion. The Basques had blown up the adjacent car park half an hour or so earlier, and I’d managed to sleep through it. Mind you, TK’s lad slept through the 7/7 bombings directly below his flat.
Looks like a good entry for Robot Wars (perhaps Colin can get the plans and make one that shoots the opponents too). π‘
Dave: I think you need Richard on that one. If he doesn’t want to do it himself he can always give it to a student as a project
Great picture of the robot and its minder. Not sure who has the higher IQ from the picture ! Also, given the robot can shoot things, and it was inside police tape, did it really need a minder?