Eiffel Tower closed after terror suspect is spotted with ‘large backpack’

A helicopter could be seen circling the 986-foot structure after officials raised the alarm just before 9am local time, according to The Daily Mail. The suspect was described as a man with a “large backpack” ascending the tower.

‘They were said to have large rucksacks so no chances could be taken.

Waiting queues of visitors were denied entry as police searched the tower, having moved tourists to the banks of the River Seine after forming a cordon.

Ticket booths were shut after terrorist scare as hundreds of people waited to ascend the tower.

France is on high alert following a number of terrorist attacks in the country in the previous year – and the alert level is at the highest level for the Greater Paris region. The tower has received threats from terrorist organisations such as the Islamic State and al Qaeda, with security stepped up since attacks by three radical gunmen in the city in January. ‘The parachutist hides his kit the night before, and then gets into the tower and jumps off, while videoing’.

The 1,050ft tall iron lattice tower was built for the 1889 World’s Fair, and soon turned into a prestige symbol of modern France. It is the most-visited paid monument in the world with almost 7 million people turning up every year.

The source said: “It is highly likely the suspects fled early this morning, by jumping off with parachutes or hand gliding before the guards arrived”.