Passenger Claims Wife Has Bomb, Forcing Emergency Landing

A Chicago-bound United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing due to a bomb threat, per The St. Louis Dispatch.

Passenger's Threat Forces Emergency Landing

United Airlines flight 380 departed Dallas bound for Chicago on Sunday, Nov. 16, but was forced to land at St. Louis’ Lambert Airport around 8:39 a.m. local time following a passenger’s bomb threat. The unidentified man, who’s been placed under arrest, allegedly claimed that there was a bomb within his wife’s luggage.

After the emergency landing, all passengers were evacuated to the concourse while law enforcement officials, with the aid of arson and bomb squads, used bomb-sniffing dogs to search the aircraft. No bombs were found, and no injuries were reported. After authorities searched the aircraft for more than two hours, the flight continued to Chicago.

United Confirmed the Incident

"United flight 380 from Dallas to Chicago landed safely in St. Louis to address a potential security concern," the 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."

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that the FBI was brought to the scene to investigate. The flight, carrying one hundred and nineteen passengers and five crew members, was delayed over five hours and eventually landed in Chicago at 2:50 p.m. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed later in the day that the flight landed safely at its intended destination, and the Federal Aviation Administration had received the all clear.