Plane Evacuated, Searched At Philadelphia International Airport
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Passengers aboard a US Airways flight bound from Philadelphia to Bermuda were evacuated from the aircraft Thursday morning due to what airport officials described as a "a security concern."
Philadelphia International Airport spokeswoman Vicki Lupica says the plane, US Airways flight 1070, never left the gate. She says that shortly after 11 a.m. the 102 passengers and five crew members were deplaned and the aircraft was towed to another part of the airport.
Philadelphia police said that according to initial reports, two of three uniformed baggage handlers who were loading luggage onto the plane did not recognize a third, who took off driving a luggage cart when approached. Airport and TSA officials refused to immediately confirm or deny that information, but TSA officials say that no threat of terrorism was uncovered.
After the plane was towed to an isolated section of the airport, luggage was removed from the cargo hold and searched by authorities using a variety of methods including K-9s. The passengers were interviewed and re-screened and, according to authorities, nothing amiss was found.
No other airport operations were affected by the incident. The investigation was continuing.
Reported by John McDevitt and Steve Tawa, KYW Newsradio; Walter Hunter, CBS 3.
