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Authorities arrested members of the military after the bomb threat disrupted Hawaii Airlines flights on May 20, urging them to evacuate just before the plane took off at San Diego International Airport.
John Steer, 35, said the port of the San Diego Port Police Station was accused of making false reports of false bomb threats and security threats. Authorities say Steer was on Flight 15 when the flight attendant told the passenger next door had a bomb.
The plane had just left the Jetway and was at Tarmac to depart for Honolulu International Airport. At 8:45am, San Diego Harbor Police Port received a dispatch call from the captain about “possible bomb threats on board.”
“We heard guests were threatened by the safety of the aircraft during the pushback from the gate,” said Melissa Vilgas, a spokesman for the Hawaiian airline. “As a precaution, the captain immediately taxied the Airbus A330 to a safe location on the airfield, where he met local and federal law enforcement agencies, and the guests were safely derailed.”
All 283 passengers and 10 crew members were evacuated from the aircraft and transported by bus to a safe area.
San Diego Harbor Police’s maritime tactics team, the K-9 team, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the San Diego Fire Department and the FBI responded to the scene to search the aircraft, according to Harbor Police. “No suspicious was found on the aircraft,” law enforcement added.
After authorities cleared the plane, guests re-boarded and left around 2:15pm local time. Approximately 5 hours after departure time.
“We appreciate their understanding during this situation and apologize for any concerns this may have caused,” Vilgas said. “We are working to attract all our guests in Honolulu as soon as possible. We are grateful for the professionalism and care of our flight attendants and pilots throughout this event.”
Reporting a false bomb threat is against the law, and can result in fines in county or state prisons, and can be up to one year in county or state prisons.
Harbor police said there is no threat to the public or travelers. According to the airport, operations at San Diego International Airport are normal.
