London-to-D.C. Flight Diverted to Boston After Passenger Dis
Posted: August 16, 2006 11:10 am
London-to-D.C. Flight Diverted to Boston After Passenger Disturbance
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
BOSTON — An United Airlines flight from London's Heathrow Airport to Washington, D.C. was diverted to Boston Wednesday after the pilot declared an emergency over a passenger disturbance, FOX News has confirmed.
A female passenger aboard United Flight 923 had Vaseline, a screw driver, matches and a note referencing Al Qaeda, according to Phil Orlandella, spokesman for Boston's Logan International Airport.
The flight, with 182 passengers and 12 crew members landed safely, United spokesman Brandon Borrman said. Borrman said a female passenger was spotted engaging in some "suspicious" activity, but he could not immediately say what the activity was. The flight was escorted to Boston by two fighter jets.
"If she pulled these out of her carry-on luggage, that would have made many people very concerned," said terrorism expert Neil Livingstone. "She shouldn't have had these items on the aircraft."
Officials from the Massachusetts Port Authority told the local FOX affiliate that there were three suspicious passengers aboard the flight and that at some point, there was a confrontation with the flight's crew members. Officials said the three passengers may have had "items" on them but there was no description given of those items.
But WBZ Radio in Boston quoted FBI officials there as saying the incident involved a female passenger who appeared to be claustrophobic, unable to maintain control of herself. The incident may have then escalated to involve other passengers.
State Police and federal agencies took control of the plane after it landed safely. Massachusetts police are handling all other details on the ground, Borrman told FOX News.
Passengers were seen coming off the plane on the tarmac and being loaded onto a bus. Orlandella said their carry-on luggage was being checked.
The flight departed London Heathrow at 7:55 a.m. local time and was scheduled to arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport at 11:10 a.m. EDT.
Last week, British authorities said they foiled a terror plot to blow up trans-Atlantic flights from London to the United States. The alleged conspirators had planned to blow up as many as 10 planes flying from Britain to the U.S. using liquid explosives, which the U.S. Transportation Security Administration's security equipment cannot detect in carry-on luggage.
There are about two-dozen suspects in custody in relation to that investigation.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
BOSTON — An United Airlines flight from London's Heathrow Airport to Washington, D.C. was diverted to Boston Wednesday after the pilot declared an emergency over a passenger disturbance, FOX News has confirmed.
A female passenger aboard United Flight 923 had Vaseline, a screw driver, matches and a note referencing Al Qaeda, according to Phil Orlandella, spokesman for Boston's Logan International Airport.
The flight, with 182 passengers and 12 crew members landed safely, United spokesman Brandon Borrman said. Borrman said a female passenger was spotted engaging in some "suspicious" activity, but he could not immediately say what the activity was. The flight was escorted to Boston by two fighter jets.
"If she pulled these out of her carry-on luggage, that would have made many people very concerned," said terrorism expert Neil Livingstone. "She shouldn't have had these items on the aircraft."
Officials from the Massachusetts Port Authority told the local FOX affiliate that there were three suspicious passengers aboard the flight and that at some point, there was a confrontation with the flight's crew members. Officials said the three passengers may have had "items" on them but there was no description given of those items.
But WBZ Radio in Boston quoted FBI officials there as saying the incident involved a female passenger who appeared to be claustrophobic, unable to maintain control of herself. The incident may have then escalated to involve other passengers.
State Police and federal agencies took control of the plane after it landed safely. Massachusetts police are handling all other details on the ground, Borrman told FOX News.
Passengers were seen coming off the plane on the tarmac and being loaded onto a bus. Orlandella said their carry-on luggage was being checked.
The flight departed London Heathrow at 7:55 a.m. local time and was scheduled to arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport at 11:10 a.m. EDT.
Last week, British authorities said they foiled a terror plot to blow up trans-Atlantic flights from London to the United States. The alleged conspirators had planned to blow up as many as 10 planes flying from Britain to the U.S. using liquid explosives, which the U.S. Transportation Security Administration's security equipment cannot detect in carry-on luggage.
There are about two-dozen suspects in custody in relation to that investigation.
