Airport fire crews had to use specialist cutting equipment to gain access to the occupants of a van that breached security and gained unauthorised access at Shannon Airport this morning.
Army personnel were also called into action to assist Gardaí smash windows in the driver’s door which had also been covered in a wire mesh to prevent access.
An airport police vehicle was on patrol at the time when the driver spotted the van entering the apron area. The van is understood to have ploughed through a barrier at the main security post adjacent to the airport’s fire station.
The airport police vehicle pursued the van as it made its way at speed in the direction of a taxiway where a United States Navy C40 aircraft was parked at the time. A C40 is a military variant of the popular Boeing 737 jet.
After seeing the van approaching the aircraft, Gardaí quickly pulled their patrol car in front of the vehicle before it could get too close to the plane. Gardaí then called for army personnel to assist.
While the driver was detained and taken into custody, Gardaí couldn’t immediately gain access to the other two people in the van. When it was established that the vehicle had been modified to prevent access, airport fire officers were requested to attend.
Fire service personnel used cutting equipment to cut the rear doors off the van before the other two occupants were taken into custody. The van was later recovered from the scene and removed for a forensic examination.
While none of those in the van managed to reach the plane, one was able to throw paint at the aircraft from a hole cut in the vehicle’s roof. It’s understood that little damage was caused.
It’s also believed that one of those arrested claimed to have been injured and was later taken to University Hospital Limerick for treatment.
Airport operations were suspended for around 30 minutes following the breach. Flights were largely unaffected however with just one business jet having to be placed in a holding pattern for a short time until it was cleared to land.
A Garda spokesperson confirmed: “Earlier this morning, Saturday 22nd November 2025 at approximately 9:30am, a vehicle entered an unauthorised area of Shannon Airport, Shannon, Co. Clare.
The vehicle was intercepted by security agencies on duty including An Garda Síochána, Óglaigh na hÉireann and the Airport Police Service.
Two males and one female (all aged in their 20s) have been arrested and are being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 in Garda Stations in Co. Clare. Investigations are ongoing.”
A spokesperson for The Shannon Airport Group has confirmed: “Operations at Shannon Airport resumed at 10:02 am this morning following a temporary suspension of just under 30 minutes, while it addressed a security matter. The safety of passengers and staff remains our top priority.”
On May 1st, Shannon Airport was closed for a time following a security breach where a van attempted to enter the airport by crashing through a security fence. Three people were detained after they jumped from the van onto a taxiway after it became stuck in a ditch.
A little over two weeks later, a member of An Garda Síochána was hospitalised following another incident at Shannon Airport. Three women were arrested after they allegedly gained access to the airside area of the airport and caused criminal damage to an aircraft.
