A musical instrument has been blamed for the complete shutdown of a Canadian airport after it was mistaken for a rifle and sparked reports of an active shooter.
Police placed Calgary International Airport on lockdown and panicked travellers were evacuated after officials believed a gunman may have been on the loose.
But after a thorough search, officers confirmed there was no active shooter and said the suspected rifle was believed to be a musical instrument. The police operation was stood down.
Mark Smith, of Calgary Police, said security precautions had been in place following reports of a suspected gunman at the airport on Thursday. But he later tweeted: “Following our investigation it was believed to be a musical instrument.”
It was not immediately clear which musical instrument caused the chaos.
Calgary Police confirmed its officers had attended, adding in statement: “At this time there is no threat and officers will be remaining to provide a reassuring presence.”
The false alarm comes as hundreds of thousands of plane passengers were facing chaos at Gatwick Airport, near London, after drone sightings forced the runway to close.
