A naval engineer was taken into custody while flying with a Hawaiian airline after allegedly making threats about a nonexistent bomb, according to officials.
Authorities from the San Diego Harbor Police stated that John Steer, 35, who works as a first-class electronics engineer, told flight attendants that a nearby passenger had a bomb just before the plane was scheduled to depart from San Diego International Airport on Tuesday morning.
The police were alerted to Hawaiian Airlines flight 15 while it was still on the tarmac at around 8:45 a.m. and quickly responded.
Witnesses reported seeing a man being escorted off the plane in handcuffs, though it remains unclear if this was Steer or the individual he mistakenly referred to as having explosives.
All 293 passengers onboard appeared fatigued, and buses were positioned in secure areas for their safety.
After an extensive search, which included bomb-sniffing dogs, law enforcement cleared the aircraft. Hawaiian Airlines later announced that passengers were allowed to re-board the plane, which finally took off for Honolulu roughly five hours after the initial delay.
Authorities confirmed that there was no threat to travelers at San Diego Airport.
The Harbor Police emphasized that making a false bomb threat is a serious offense that can result in a fine or imprisonment for up to a year in county or state prison, serving as a reminder to the public about the consequences.
