BANGOR, Maine — Officials diverted a US Airways jet to Maine after a French passenger traveling from Paris to North Carolina handed a note to a flight attendant mentioning that she had a surgically implanted device, prompting concerns about possible terrorism.
There is no evidence the plane was ever in danger on Tuesday, officials said. However, the FBI and Homeland Security Department warned airlines last summer that terrorists are considering surgically hiding bombs inside humans to evade airport security.
Two doctors aboard the plane examined the passenger, a French citizen born in Cameroon, and found that she had no scars or incisions, said U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who was briefed by Transportation Security Administration chief John Pistole.
“We have seen intelligence identifying surgically implanted bombs as a threat to air travel,” said Collins, the ranking Republican on the Homeland Security Committee.
Two F-15 fighters scrambled to escort Boeing Flight 787 with 179 passengers and nine crew members to Bangor International Airport, where it landed shortly after noon. The TSA issued a statement saying the passenger’s suspicious behavior warranted the unscheduled stop.
“We saw lots of police and federal customs people take a woman off the plane in handcuffs,” said Stuart Frankel of Baltimore. “People were amazed at what was going on. We didn’t know what was happening until we landed.”
The flight was about 40 minutes away from Bangor when local officials were alerted. After landing, it taxied to a remote part of the airport where law enforcement officials removed the passenger, said Tony Caruso, acting airport manager.
Frankel said passengers had been advised to keep their shades down during a movie, so they didn’t realize fighter jets had been dispatched to intercept the flight. There were a couple of calls on the overhead speakers for doctors, but that didn’t seem especially unusual, he said.
Eventually, the pilot advised them that the jet needed to land for fuel in Maine.
William Milam from Richmond, Va., said he had spoken French with the woman and helped her get her luggage into an overhead bin.
After the woman was removed from the flight, passengers were informed that they would have to leave while the jet was checked for explosives, Milam said. “This is like, ‘Wow,’” he said. “I’m thinking drugs. And they’re thinking explosives.”
Several passengers said they had noticed that particular passenger because of her slight stature and big eyelashes. They said she attracted attention by walking up and down the aisle throughout the flight.
The passengers were kept in a secure area before being allowed back onto the jet, which departed 3 1/2 hours later for Charlotte, N.C.
U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who was briefed on the matter, said the woman who was detained was traveling alone without any checked baggage and intended to stay in the U.S. for 10 days.
The FBI, which is conducting the investigation, interviewed passengers before the plane departed.
“At this time, there is no evidence that the plane or its passengers were ever in any actual danger,” said Greg Comcowich, an FBI spokesman in Boston.
He said the agency wouldn’t confirm the status nor release the identity of the passenger who caused the flight to be diverted.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the flight was diverted to [Bangor] where it was met by law enforcement,” said TSA spokesman Sterling Payne.
The Bangor airport is accustomed to dealing with diverted flights.
It’s the first large U.S. airport for incoming European flights and the last U.S. airport for outgoing flights, with uncluttered skies and one of the longest runways on the East Coast. Aircraft use the airport when there are mechanical problems, medical emergencies or unruly passengers.
Home to a Maine Air National Guard unit, the airport also serves as a refueling hub for military aircraft transporting personnel and cargo to and from Europe and the Middle East.
Associated Press writers Eileen Sullivan in Washington; Mitch Weiss in Charlotte, N.C.; David Sharp and Clarke Canfield in Portland, Maine; and Denise Lavoie and Jay Lindsay in Boston contributed to this report.
Strange situation, all in all.
I am not sure why two F-15 fighter jets were “scrambled” to
escort the commercial plane to the airport.
What good did that do?
These are fighter jets.
Would they shoot down the airliner because some person claims
something or other, whether true or not ?
Waste of resources , actually.
Unless they need to justify their existence.
don’t know why fighter jets were scrambled to “escort” the plane to the runway-to show it the way i guess ? Wouldn’t want it landing at super Wal-Mart!
I think they might shoot down an airliner IF it was gonna crash into something else. People on airliner will die, but taht’s better than people on airliner PLUS everyone in the building it crashes into
mmm let me see a possible terrorist on the plane and you can’t understand why 2 fighter jets were scrambled? Do you have any clue as to how the world works these days?
“passengers had been advised to keep their shades down ” Was this really for the benefit of people watching a movie, or didn’t they want passengers to look out the windows? I would not have accepted that advice. :)
Oh you rebble
The caption under the pictures still says “after a passenger claimed to have an explosive device implanted in her body”. BDN is the only one reporting this.
Sorry, not so—You need to read other newspapers and maybe watch some news other then local.This was all over the “other then local” news , still is, and they all say the same thing!
I can’t find any other news that claims it was an….. “explosive”……. device.
Welcome to America
People…Your not in Kansas any more…
Those poor people. Imagine looking forward to landing in Charlotte, with their beautiful city and airport awaiting, only to arrive in Bangor…
BIA looks like a 1950’s Soviet bus station by comparison.
in soviet russia, bus rides YOU.
Most of the previous comments (i.e., complaints) are ridiculous. They remind me of the saying: “When I do something right, no one remembers. When I do something wrong, no on forgets.”
This incident appears to have been handled in an appropriate manner. Suspicious behavior was reported from passengers, flight attendants, and pilots to national security personnel. Fighter jets were scrambled to escort the plane, which I’m guessing is protocol and would likely have been used to disable the plane were it seized and employed to cause a greater catastrophe.
That the plane was inspected and passengers interviewed before returning to the skies in 3 1/2 hours is remarkable! I consider the delay a minor inconvenience given the potential for greater damage. This incident demonstrates that the system can and does work, yet people complain. I have not forgotten 9/11 and appreciate the level of concern displayed by airline professionals.
As an aside, I am also proud to have learned as a result of this incident that BIA plays such an important role for international flights. I will be sure to pass this interesting tidbit along when boasting about my adopted hometown and airport. In Maine, we have a lot to be thankful for.
You are right. A better headline here would have been “Bin Laden may be dead, but America’s are still quaking in their boots”.
Funny that the only way we can get people to visit Bangor is being under threat of getting blown up.
The government likes to keep us off our guard every once in a while….We need a boogey man out there to keep us scared….
I dislike flying. The more I read some of these stories the more I’m determined to avoid it at all cost.
But if I ever do fly again and they insist on keeping the shade on the window down, I’ll be more observant. Although I’m sure if someone looked out the window and saw a fighter jet flying close that would be unsettling. Not much a person can do in mid air except hope for the best.