Flights halted after French police arrest driver who sped down wrong side of motorway

Dramatic police chase as car smashes on to runway at Lyon airport

Flights at a major French airport were halted on Monday as police arrested a man who smashed his car through the perimeter fence and reached the runway.

Officers chased and reportedly shot at a silver grey Mercedes that had driven for several miles up the wrong way of a nearby motorway, causing several accidents. The car rammed through a toll booth before forcing its way into the Saint-Exupéry airport at Lyon.

A witness filmed the car bouncing over an embankment before coming to a halt. The driver ran off, chased by police vehicles.

Following the security breach on Monday, the airport was immediately closed and flights halted.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A French gendarmes vehicle speeds on the tarmac of Lyon’s Saint-Exupery airport on Monday. Photograph: Jean Decotte/AFP/Getty Images

About 20 police and gendarmerie cars, motorcyclists and a helicopter joined the chase as the car entered the airport and headed for the runway.

Police at the scene said the situation was “complicated” while witnesses reported scenes of chaos at the airport.

A spokesperson for the Rhône prefecture said: “Around 10.30 this morning an individual travelling in the wrong direction on the A43 motorway was pursued by members of the motorway CRS (police) and a helicopter from the National Gendarmerie.

“Arriving at the Lyon-Bron airport, he forced his way through the security barriers before heading towards the airport of Lyon Saint-Exupéry where again, he forced the security barriers with his vehicle.

“Followed by the forces of law and order, he drove into Terminal 1 with his car before getting to the runway, where he was overpowered by those forces and arrested.”

The Mercedes, with Luxembourg registration plates, smashed into two glass doors next to the entrance to the main terminal. The driver then crossed the tarmac, passed the aircraft and began driving towards fields along the runway.





Police said an investigation had been opened and nobody was injured in the incident.

A police source said the driver was unknown to French security services.





French media reported the car had foreign number plates, but this has not been confirmed by police.

On Monday afternoon, the airport officials at Lyon Saint-Exupéry warned flights had been cancelled until 6pm local time (5pm BST). Airlines rerouted 17 flights, but 28 arrivals and 24 departures were cancelled.





