Bomb threat diverts plane to Phoenix

June 10, 2013

A bomb threat forced a Southwest Airlines flight to be diverted to Phoenix on Tuesday afternoon. The FBI and a police bomb squad were among the agencies that responded to the threat.   

phx Sky Harbor International Aiport remained open after a plane was diverted to the aiport due to a bomb threat. Traffic was snarled for hours, however, due to road closures. (Photo by Stina Sieg - KJZZ)

Two F-16 fighter jets monitored the plane as it landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport about an hour and a half after it took off from Los Angeles. The passengers were bound for Austin, but all 143 were removed in Phoenix and questioned as the plane was searched. Phoenix Police sergeant Steve Martos would not elaborate much on the threat, which was received by telephone.

“The only thing I am able to say at this point is that we received a threat to the plane,” he told reporters gathered at the airport. “That threat was received by law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles, who contacted us.”

Martos said the plane was quarantined at Sky Harbor. Some arrivals were delayed, but the airport was not closed.