Woman with Surgically-Implanted Device Forces US Airways Flight To Change Course
Woman with Surgically-Implanted Device Forces US Airways Flight To Change Course
On Tuesday, the Boeing 767 from Paris to Charlotte, North Carolina, was diverted to Bangor, Maine after a French woman had handed a note to a flight attendant saying she had a surgically implanted device.
After a thorough check, they found that the woman is not listed on terrorist watch lists or law enforcement databases, according to a congressman briefed on the incident.
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said Wednesday that the woman, whose identity has not been released, has been "checked through all of the databases" and "her name has not shown up anywhere," according to the Associated Press.
King said the passenger in question was a French citizen from Cameroon who had not checked bags on the flight.
Two doctors aboard the plane examined the passenger 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.
The FBI and Homeland Security Department warned airlines last summer that terrorists are considering surgically hiding bombs inside humans to evade airport security.
The airline, in a statement, said the flight's Boeing 767 aircraft was carrying 179 passengers and nine crew members landed without any incident around noon U.S. Eastern time.
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.
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.
Posted by
Sophia Andrews
on Thursday May 24 2012, 3:36 AM EST.
Ref: CNN.
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