After bomb threat

Bomb alert: rail and road closed at the Brenner Pass

The highway and state road were closed (symbolic image).

(Bild: Peter Freiberger, Krone KREATIV)

A major operation took place at the Brenner Pass on Wednesday evening: Following a bomb threat on the South Tyrolean side, rail and road connections across the national border were closed. The all-clear was given shortly before 10 pm.

The roadblocks were lifted again, it was said. Train services were also resumed after the closures were lifted, confirmed ÖBB spokesman Christoph Gasser-Mair. 

The alarm was raised shortly before 7 pm. According to RAI South Tyrol, a passenger had reported that a bomb had been hidden in the toilet. According to initial information, everyone in the station was evacuated due to a bomb threat. There were around 300 people from one train. "We have distributed them to various halls and the civil defense is now providing them with food and hot drinks," Martin Alber, mayor of the municipality of Brenner, told RAI South Tyrol.

Train was searched
A special police squad searched the train in question. "All of the passengers' luggage had to be checked," emphasized fire department district inspector Norbert Troyer.

Train services to and from Italy were temporarily at a standstill. Local and regional trains ran to Gries am Brenner and then back. Long-distance services had to wait. Rail replacement services were not possible as the Brenner highway and the Brenner state road were also closed, it was reported.