A New York-bound American Airlines flight was abruptly grounded moments before taking off from San Francisco today after someone phoned in a hijack warning. Two people were removed from the plane in handcuffs hours later, authorities and passengers said.
American Airlines Flight 24 had been scheduled to take off at 7:30 am at San Francisco International Airport and was grounded around 10 am after a late departure from the gate.
After questioning the couple and sweeping the plane, the FBI later declared the threat not to be credible and let the couple go.
But it was a harrowing five hours for passengers locked on the plan after authorities told the captain to divert the Boeing 767 to a remote part of the tarmac.
“We thought there was a technical problem with the plane,” said French tourist Philippe Lardon. “When I heard them say the police had arrived that’s when I realized there was a really serious problem.”
Around 1 pm, two dozen San Francisco cops arrived and boarded the front and back of the plane, witnesses said.
Three officers boarded in the rear, Lardon, said and asked for two people by name who were sitting behind him.
“They got up quickly, got their bags and were cuffed. Most people didn’t even notice,” Lardon said.
He described the couple as white, in their 30s, wearing jeans, T-shirts and speaking English to each other.
The woman, he said, was wearing a head covering.
A law enforcement official said the threat call originated from a hotel in Alameda to the city’s police department.
Another person close to the investigation said it was a hijack threat.
After interviewing the couple, the FBI declared the threat “non-credible.”
with AP