​Passenger Arrested After Bomb Threat Prompts Evacuation Of Flight At San Diego Airport

SAN DIEGO, CA — A passenger was arrested after reports of a possible bomb threat prompted the evacuation of a plane at San Diego International Airport.

The security emergency began at about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, when a passenger aboard Hawaiian Airlines Flight 15 told a flight attendant that the person next to him had a bomb, according to the Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department. The flight attendant informed the captain of the Honolulu-bound Airbus A330 about the potential threat as the flight was pulling away from the jetway and getting ready to depart the airport.

The Port of San Diego Harbor Police Maritime Tactical Team, K-9 Team, and Joint Terrorism Task Force, along with the San Diego Fire Department and multiple federal agencies, responded to the scene to search the aircraft and its contents.

All 293 people aboard the flight were evacuated and taken by bus off the airfield to await a rescheduled flight or make other arrangements. K-9s cleared the aircraft, including all carry-on and checked luggage.

The personnel found nothing suspicious on the aircraft, officials said.

John Stea, a 35-year-old member of the military, was arrested on charges of making a false bomb threat and false report of a security threat, according to the Harbor Police Department.

"There is no threat to the public or travelers, and operations at San Diego International Airport are normal," the department said in a news release. "Harbor Police reminds the public that maliciously reporting a false bomb threat is against the law and can result in fines and up to one year incarceration in county jail or state prison if convicted."

The incident caused no additional flight delays, San Diego International Airport spokesperson Nicole Hall told Patch.

"All operations at the airport are normal," Hall said. "No flights were delayed due to the incident this morning."

By mid-afternoon, passengers re-boarded the aircraft and the flight resumed, taking off at about 2:15 p.m., according to Marissa Villegas, a spokesperson for Hawaiian Airlines.