Suspect arrested in UK after cyberattack affected major European airports

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - A man has been arrested in the UK by the country's National Crime Agency (NCA) as part of an investigation into last week’s cyberattack on airline systems that caused delays at major European airports, the agency said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the NCA said the investigation was launched into the Sept. 19 incident that affected flights at Heathrow and other European airports over the weekend.

"NCA officers, supported by the South East (Regional Organised Crime Unit) ROCU, arrested a man in his forties in West Sussex yesterday evening on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offences," the statement said.

The suspect has been released on conditional bail while the investigation into this incident is in its early stages and remains ongoing, said Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit.

"Cybercrime is a persistent global threat that continues to cause significant disruption to the UK," he added.

The incident, which was confirmed on Monday by the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) as a "ransomware attack," affected Collins Aerospace, which provides check-in systems to airlines worldwide.

London Heathrow Airport, Berlin Airport, and Brussels Airport were among European airports that reported delays and cancellations over the weekend following the cyberattack.