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Airplane makes emergency landing at Louisiana airport following reports of 'possible explosive device'
By Michael Hollan
Published December 31, 2020
This probably isn’t the way these travelers were hoping to end their year.
A flight heading to Houston was forced to make an emergency landing at the Alexandria International Airport in Louisiana, reportedly due to a possible explosive device being found on the plane. While no one was injured, two juveniles were reportedly detained due to the incident.
United Airlines confirmed to Fox News that the flight, which was flying from Jackson, Miss., to Houston, Texas, was flown by CommutAir, a regional airline that is part of the United Express brand.
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In a statement obtained by Fox News, a spokesperson for CommutAir said, "CommutAir flight 4344, operating as United Express from Jackson, Mississippi to Houston, diverted to Alexandria, Louisiana, due to a customer-related security issue. The flight landed safely and was met by local authorities who are investigating the matter further."
The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office also posted about the incident on Facebook.
"At approximately 12:24 p.m., Sheriffs Dispatch received a call from the Rapides 911 Center of a reported inbound aircraft emergency. According to initial reports, information was received there was a possible explosive device onboard an inbound aircraft to Alexandria International Airport. Deputies, along with England Airpark Fire Department, responded to the scene where the passengers were off-loaded and the scene secured. Two persons of interest are being detained at this time. RPSO Bomb Squad along with local agents with the FBI are also on scene assisting in the investigation."
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Passengers were off-loaded from the plane when it landed, although one passenger who claimed to be on the flight alleges that they were forced to wait at least 40-45 minutes before deplaning, KALB reports.
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According to the news outlet, an investigation was completed and two juveniles were taken into custody. It has not been confirmed what prompted the initial landing or what device, if any, was found on the plane. A man claiming to be the attorney for the two detained juveniles told KALB that both were released and that he doesn’t expect them to face criminal charges.
https://www.foxnews.com/travel/airplane-emergency-landing-louisiana-airport-bomb-device