Hazmat team at KLIA2

SEPANG: The usually bustling KLIA2 departure hall fell silent as large sections of the terminal were cordoned off to allow chemical experts to look for traces of toxic chemicals.

Early this morning, curious travellers looked on as police and other agencies conducted a sweep of the path Kim Jong-nam took on Feb 13.

It covered four areas – the departure hall where he was attacked, two toilets, and the clinic where he was taken to. 

The process, which took more than an hour, was done by teams from the Atomic Energy Licensing Board, Fire and Rescue Department, including Hazmat (hazardous materials) team, and the Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Explosive (CBRNe) of the police.

A Hazmat team, minus equipment, was spotted at the airport as early as 8pm yesterday, while the police were there since noon.

Bukit Aman issued a statement yesterday evening to explain a joint operation to detect the presence of toxic chemicals at the airport after Jong-nam’s death was revealed to have been caused by a toxic chemical. 

At about 11pm yesterday, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) staff and police began cordoning off parts of KLIA2 departure hall.

The quarantined area was later extended to parts of the arrival hall and the Gateway mall on Level 2.

By midnight, large swathes of the departure and arrival areas had been blocked off as the number of travellers departing and arriving dwindled for the day. 

Airport staff were stationed at the departure and arrival halls to guide travellers.

Inside, team members retraced Jong-nam’s every step as captured on CCTV – from the point he approached the self check-in counter, the moment the attack took place and when he was escorted to the clinic after complaining to an airport employee of pain in his face. 
 
Jong-nam was killed after two female suspects allegedly wiped a deadly chemical on his face on the morning of Feb 13 while he was waiting for a flight to Macau.