Flight From Ireland Makes Emergency Landing In Philly
PHILADELPHIA (KDKA/AP) - Federal authorities were called to Philadelphia International Airport because of an apparent bomb threat that was made in connection with an incoming flight from Ireland that was eventually bound for Pittsburgh.
According to reports, a US Airways flight landed as scheduled in Philadelphia after a threat was reportedly phoned in.
FBI spokeswoman Carrie Adamowski says Wednesday that agents are assisting Transportation Security Administration officials in the investigation.
KDKA's David Highfield Reports:
Emergency officials met the plane when it landed and all 171 passengers plus the crew exited the plane. The passengers were then driven to the terminal by bus.
Police and airport officials say they don't have any specifics about the apparent threat or details about from where it may have originated.
Once the plane landed, all passengers, as well as their baggage, were scheduled to removed from the plane and re-screened. The plane was isolated as well. It was swept but nothing was found.
"At first they said we couldn't pull into the gate, and so they said something was going on, they wouldn't tell us what was happening," said Molly Cross, a passenger. "Once we saw the cop cars, the dogs and everything, finally an FBI agent got on the plane and said someone made a bomb threat."
"Then, a policeman came on – actually at the front of the plane – I could see him because I was in row one, and he said it was a security issue, that there had been a prank call," added Aminda Baird, another passenger.
CBS Pittsburgh has learned that Flight 777 left from Shannon, Ireland, and was destined for Philadelphia, and then was to continue on to Pittsburgh.
Passengers continuing on to Pittsburgh were put on a different plane.
People arrived in Pittsburgh Wednesday evening from that connecting flight, but none had been on original flight from Ireland.
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