UPDATE: No explosives found in seized Cairo packages

Two DHL packages that were seized yesterday at Cairo International Airport on suspicion that they contained “explosive materials,” as reported earlier in Air Cargo World, have been determined to contain no such materials, according to DHL officials.

“As part of our standard screening and security procedure, we identified a shipment at DHL’s Cairo airport facility that required further screening by the authorities,” read a statement this morning from DHL’s Global Communications office. “The Egyptian authorities have subsequently informed us that the shipment contained no explosives or explosive devices.”

Egyptian news organization Ahram Online had reported on Nov. 24 that X-ray scanners had detected explosive materials in the two suspicious DHL parcels destined for the United States via London. Upon further investigation, it has been confirmed by both DHL and Egyptian officials that the initial alert was a false alarm.

As previously reported, following the crash of Metrojet flight 9268 on Oct. 31 over the Sinai Peninsula, which killed all 224 passengers on board, security measures have been tightened at Egyptian airports.

New X-ray security scanners have been installed at the Cairo airport. Additionally, the U.S. has asked Egypt not to ship parcels, cargo or mail on passenger aircraft going to the U.S.