MIA ‘Security Concern’ Forces Flight Cancellation

MIAMI, FL — A “security concern” Wednesday night at Miami International Airport caused Miami-Dade police to swarm an American Airlines flight as frightened passengers were subjected to additional searches and forced to return to the terminal. The incident involved an American Airlines flight bound for Mexico City. The all clear was issued around 10:30 p.m., but the flight was later canceled as a result of the incident.

The scare occurred on a day when the nation was consumed with news of at least seven packages containing possible "destructive devices" addressed to four prominent Democrats and a major Democratic donor and philanthropist over a 48-hour period, according to the FBI. It was a day that saw the evacuation of the Aventura Government Center over a suspicious package addressed to U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz as well as the evacuation of the congresswoman's Sunrise, Florida office. See also: Prominent Democrats Targeted With Pipe Bombs In Terror By Mail

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“All passengers have been contained and safety protocols have been set in place,” Detective Alvaro Zabaleta told Patch earlier in the evening with respect to the American Airlines flight. He said that adjacent gates were cleared as a precaution.

The flight was scheduled to depart Miami at 6:50 p.m. but the aircraft was still sitting on the runway after midnight and was rescheduled to depart at 2:30 a.m. before being canceled altogether, according to American Airlines.

Passenger Juha Mikkola said on Twitter that police swarmed the aircraft and escorted him and his fellow passengers back to the terminal, where they were kept together. He said the police response appeared to have been triggered by an AirDrop message received by multiple passengers carrying iPhones aboard the plane.

AirDrop is a feature that allows Apple device users to share content from apps like Photos, Safari, Contacts, and more. "All nearby iOS devices using AirDrop can see your device," according to Apple.

The American Airlines spokesperson deferred questions relating to the specific threat back to police.

Mikkola said passengers were permitted to board the same plane at one point after an extensive check by police. They were later sent back to the terminal for a second time after some passengers wanted to get off the flight.

"They check everyone’s hands for explosive residue and iPhones for the AirDrop message," he explained on social media. "I’m on @TMobile and was cleared, so they have narrowed the sender down to a different network."

Mikkola attributed the extended delay to the need to remove the bags of passengers who opted to get off the plane. He posted video of the chaotic counter scene below:

Even so, passengers were angry by the late-hour decision by American Airlines to scrap the flight, according to Mikkola.

"We have been at the airport for nine hours," he told the airline in a tweet. "There is no reason you couldn’t have made this decision earlier."

Photo courtesy Miami International Airport