Flight Makes Emergency Landing Following Alleged Security Threat
A routine United Airlines flight from Dallas to Chicago was abruptly forced to make an emergency landing in St. Louis on Sunday morning after a passenger raised a terrifying alarm. The incident, which sparked a significant security response, unfolded when a man aboard the aircraft claimed his wife's luggage contained a bomb.
Chaos in the Skies Leads to Arrest and Evacuation
According to reports from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the disruptive event occurred on United Airlines Flight 380. The pilot diverted the Boeing 737-700 to St. Louis Lambert International Airport approximately two-thirds of the way through its journey to address what the airline termed a "potential security concern."
The aircraft touched down safely around 8:40 a.m., after which all 118 passengers and five crew members were immediately evacuated. Rhonda Hamm Niebruegge, the airport director, confirmed the evacuation procedures. The plane remained isolated on a taxiway for nearly two hours as law enforcement, including the FBI, which has taken over the investigation, conducted a thorough search of the aircraft.
No Bomb Found, Flight Continues After Major Delay
Authorities confirmed that the extensive search yielded no explosive device. United Airlines stated that once the all-clear was given, passengers were allowed to reboard the aircraft. The flight eventually continued to Chicago O'Hare International Airport, landing more than five hours behind its original schedule.
An unidentified man was arrested at the scene in connection with the false threat. It remains unclear whether formal charges have been filed or if he is still in custody. This alarming incident is the second bomb threat involving a United flight in recent weeks, following a separate extortion attempt at Reagan Washington National Airport earlier in November.
