No such message was found by officers on the passenger's phone, First Sgt. Jonathan Green, spokesman for the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, said Wednesday.
The incident report, obtained by The Associated Press through a Maryland Public Information Act request, details the events of Nov. 17, when Spirit Airlines Flight 969 to Chicago was taxiing to the runway at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
A female passenger said she became alarmed when a male passenger made several phone calls in a language other than English and when she saw him receive a text message that read "BLR Dynamite," according to the report. BLR is the airport code for Bengaluru International Airport in Bangalore, India.
The female passenger notified the crew. She said the passenger on the phone was traveling with two other passengers, and talking with a fourth, according to the report.
The flight crew decided to return to the gate. All passengers were ordered off the plane, and the four passengers the woman pointed out, three men and a woman, were detained for investigation, the report said.
The report noted that the flight to Chicago was the last leg of the trip for the four detained passengers, but did not say where their trip began. They were interviewed by Transportation Authority Police officers, an air marshal with the Transportation Security Administration and an agent with the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Green says the passenger who had been talking on the phone allowed officers to check the device, and no text message with the word "dynamite" was found.
The four passengers were released without charges.
BALTIMORE, Md. (WUSA9) -- A flight scheduled to leave from BWI to Chicago was delayed after several people were removed from the plane, officials said.
Flight 969 was scheduled to leave around 6 a.m. Tuesday.
According to BWI spokesperson Jonathan Dean, a passenger told the crew that another passenger made a comment or exhibited unusual behavior. That is when the crew made the call to return to the gate.
Four passengers were removed from the plane and MDTA police are speaking with them.
Officials said the airline is now working to accommodate other passengers affected.
At this time there is no indication of a serious incident.
The situation is under investigation.
- Source: http://www.wusa9.com
Several people were removed from the Spirit Airlines flight NK969 after the plane was called back to the gate while taxiing off, Tuesday morning.
According to Kennedy, a woman got up and went to the back of the plane with a small child, as the plane was preparing for takeoff.
The plane is now being held at the gate. Suzanne says initially three men and one woman were removed from the plane.
The passengers had several backpacks and appeared to be in their early 30's and of middle eastern descent, according to Suzanne.
A federal law enforcement source said the flight crew was not comfortable with several passengers on board.
The flight crew requested police to remove those passengers.
BWI police say the incident is still under investigation.
Story, video and photo gallery: http://wjla.com
Maryland Transportation Authority Police 1st Sgt. Jonathan Green said the Spirit flight No. 969, which was headed for Chicago, returned to the gate around 6:30 a.m. due to concerns from the flight crew. The flight was scheduled to depart BWI at 6.
Green said four people were removed from the plane for questioning.
There is no word on what concerns led to the plane returning to the gate or why the passengers were removed.
- Source: http://www.wbaltv.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- All passengers on a Spirit Airlines flight scheduled to leave from BWI to Chicago are being told to deplane, but leave belongings, according to WJLA-TV reporter Suzanne Kennedy.
Several people were removed from the Spirit Airlines flight NK969 after the plane was called back to the gate while taxiing off Tuesday morning.
According to WJLA-TV, a federal law enforcement source advised the flight crew was not comfortable with several passengers on board.
The flight crew requested police to remove those passengers.
According to Kennedy, a woman got up and went to the back of the plane with a small child, as the plane was preparing for takeoff.
The plane was being held at the gate. Kennedy said initially three men and one woman were removed from the plane.
The passengers had several backpacks and appeared to be in their early 30s and of middle eastern descent, according to Kennedy.
BWI police say the incident is still under investigation.
Read More at: http://www.local21news.com
No comments:
Post a Comment