A security incident at San Diego International Airport Tuesday ended with the arrest of a passenger on a Hawaiian Airlines plane.
Authorities say a passenger’s unfounded statement alluding to a bomb aboard a passenger jet about to depart led to a five hour long delay leaving for Honolulu.
Authorities evacuated Hawaiian Airlines flight15 and searched the aircraft and its contents, but found nothing suspicious, according to Brianne Mundy Page, a spokeswoman for the Port of San Diego.
Later in the day, Harbor Police identified the suspect as 35 year old John Stea, a member of the U.S. Navy. He is facing charges of making a false bomb threat and false report of a security threat. Stea is accused of telling a flight attendant that the passenger next to him had a bomb. The attendant informed the captain of the plane as the flight was pulling away from the jetway.
An airline statement, said that “as a precaution, the captain immediately taxied the Airbus A330 to a safe location on the airfield, where it was met with local and federal law enforcement and guests were safely deplaned.”
Passengers were taken by bus to a safe area. K-9s cleared the aircraft and examined all carry-on and checked luggage.
A total of 283 passengers and 10 crew members were aboard, according to the airline.
(Photo Getty Images)
Photo: Getty Images