A Chicago-bound United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing elsewhere due to a “bomb threat” on Sunday (US time), as per local US reports. The unprecedented air travel scare was reported after a man on board Flight 380 claimed that his wife had a bomb in her luggage. The 119 passengers and 5 crew members were travelling in the Boeing 737-700.
Having started its journey from Dallas, the airplane was headed to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. However, the unexpected development prompted its pilot to make an abrupt stop at St Louis Lambert International Airport in Missouri at around 8:39 am local time on Sunday.
“United flight 380 from Dallas to Chicago landed safely in St. Louis to address a potential security concern,” the US airline said in a statement. “Law enforcement searched and cleared the aircraft. The flight took off from St. Louis earlier this afternoon and has since landed in Chicago.”
What happened on the United Airlines flight – bomb threat explained
St Louis Post-Dispatch cited a source in its report stating that a man suggested that his wife’s luggage has a bomb. Following his admission during the airplane journey, the man is said to have been arrested.
Everyone on the plane were left with no choice but to deboard it due to the bomb threat claim prompting an investigation, as per the airline. In a statement shared with People, the St Louis Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that the FBI was heading the probe on the scene.
The flight was ultimately given the green light to complete its journey to Chicago after bomb-sniffing dogs were brought in to search the plane alongside law enforcement, as per local news outlet KSDK.
According to flight tracker FlightAware, the United Airlines flight eventually landed in Chicago at 2:50 pm after facing a delay of 5 hours and 33 minutes.
