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Breaking News

Hartsfield Airport Shuts Down

Aired November 16, 2001 - 14:03   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: In Atlanta, we're watching things at Hartsfield International Airport. The videotape you hear, National Guard troops moving through -- troops, rather, after a person apparently breached security. We are still working on details here. From what we can tell you, the airport has been basically shut down. A number of people standing outside milling about by the thousands. This is an extremely busy airport. Many argue it's the busiest airport in the world.

The security breach information we have is that someone apparently broke through, hopped on one of the trains -- one of the many trains that service the airport there. The word we had 15 minutes ago that he was still on the lose. One report said he has been apprehended, but at this point we really don't know, frankly.

But what we do know is the picture you're seeing right here. Thousands of people right now frozen for their travel plans. A number of planes have been grounded. And the takeoff situation: Some have been allowed to land, but for the most part that airline on a Friday afternoon when it gets so busy not only in Atlanta but across the country, things have been shut down for now.

We'll watch it. Let you know what we know when we get it.

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