ALMATY (Sputnik) — Six flights were delayed in Almaty because of a mercury spill, the airport's press service said in a statement Monday.
"Six flights were delayed, three domestic and three international. At the moment, all services of Almaty International Airport are operational," the statement said.
According to the airport's press service, during the security check for the Air Astana flight to Tbilisi, a container with a liquid resembling mercury was found, which the owner, when asked to hand it over, threw into a garbage bin, causing the spill.
The passengers were initially evacuated at around 9:40 a.m. local time (03:40 GMT), then allowed to come back in about 50 minutes.
