Bomb threat prompts plane evacuation at JFK, nothing found
November 30, 2014 - 10:17 am
Passengers were evacuated from a plane at JFK Airport Sunday as emergency crews responded to an apparent false bomb threat.
The threat was called in, according to Associated Press. Social media posts indicated the American Airlines plane was inbound from Barcelona-El Prat Airport. Two hundred passengers were evacuated off the Boeing 767.
Flight 67 from Barcelona landed safely in New York City about noon, according to Laura Masvideo, a spokeswoman for the airline.
The aircraft was taken to a location near the tarmac where the 200 passengers plus crew members were taken off the aircraft, according to Joe Pentangelo, spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police.
Law enforcement officials told NBC New York there was no reason to believe the threat was credible. A separate inbound flight was diverted as a precaution.
NYC City Alerts tweeted the initial search was negative, and luggage was being moved for search just after 10 a.m.
Police and K-9 unit dogs then swept the plane and its cargo. Police said all was clear after the bomb threat.
Sunday is traditionally one of the busiest travel days of the year as millions of Americans return home from Thanksgiving. U.S. airlines expected to carry 2.6 million people.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
Contact Kristen DeSilva at kdesilva@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3895. Find her on Twitter: @kristendesilva