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Jet evacuated at airport over bomb remark

A Southwest Airlines jet was evacuated Friday on a taxiway after flight attendants overheard a comment about a bomb, but a search of the plane found nothing.
/ Source: The Associated Press

A Southwest Airlines jet was evacuated Friday on a taxiway after flight attendants overheard a comment about a bomb, but a search of the plane found nothing.

Southwest Flight 2074 was preparing to take off from Bob Hope Airport for Las Vegas with about 130 passengers when the pilot taxied to a remote part of the airfield and ordered passengers to evacuate the Boeing 737.

One passenger was removed in handcuffs. The others evacuated using a mobile staircase brought to the jet’s rear door, said Jennifer Peppin, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration.

She said federal officials did not believe the bomb comment was a credible threat, but authorities questioned five men as a precaution. One was detained.

“We saw cop cars pulling up next to us and looking at the plane,” passenger Jenny Richman said by cell phone. “Then the officers came on with loaded weapons and escorted several people off.”

A bomb-sniffing dog inspect the aircraft, and passengers and bags were rescreened, authorities said.

Southwest Airlines spokeswoman Beth Harbin said the plane would depart Friday evening for its destination.