Bomb Threat Grounds US Plane in Florida

An A320 spirit airlines flight made an emergency landing today at the Fort Lauderdale Airport after a bomb threat was received. The flight’s 92 passengers were taken off and re-boarded after the search.

The airplane landed in “a secure area” around 11:05 p.m. where Fire Rescue was standing by, according to tweets from Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue spokesman Mike Jachles.

Jachles said that there was “no imminent apparent threat”, but that BSO’s bomb squad was on its way to check out the airplane.

Flight 596 was headed for Minneapolis and was reportedly grounded after about 15 minutes in the air.

Broward Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Keyla Concepcion says the flight returned “after a passenger was overheard possibly making mention of a bomb”.

Explosive-sniffing K-9s have been brought to the aircraft, officials said.

No other details were immediately released.

Spirit Airlines is an American low-priced worldwide and domestic carrier with headquarters in Miramar, Florida, close to the Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood Airport.

It is unknown whether the person who made the verbal threat on that flight was arrested.