Two Southwest flights were stopped today while officials investigated a potential bomb threat. Both planes were searched at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. Officials eventually determined that the threat was not credible.
The Associated Press reports that the passengers of Southwest flight 811 were removed from the plane to allow a bomb squad, as well as canine units, to search the plane at John Wayne Airport. Laura Eimiller, a spokeswoman for the FBI, said that no threat was found on the plane.
A second plane, Southwest flight 1184, was taken to an isolated area of John Wayne Airport after a “non-specific threat” was made. Teddy Rodriguez, a passenger on the plane, said that the pilot intentionally parked the plane as far as he could from the terminal because there was a “threat to the plane.”
The passengers were removed from the plane and individually questioned. Luggage was also re-screened but security officials did not find any bombs or weapons.
Southwest spokeswoman Ashley Dillon said that both planes were cleared by the FBI but did not elaborate on the nature of the threat.
