US Airways Jet Diverted Due to 'Security Issue'
A US Airways jetliner flying from Paris to Charlotte, N.C., has been diverted to Maine because of what an airline spokesman describes as a "security issue."
A person briefed on the incident said a passenger announced she had a surgically implanted device. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because it involved sensitive law enforcement information.
US Airways spokesman Andrew Christie says the Boeing 767 with 179 passengers and nine crew members landed at noon Tuesday at Bangor International Airport.
Two F-15 fighters were scrambled to escort the plane, according to a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
The Transportation Security Administration issued a statement saying it was aware of "a passenger who exhibited suspicious behavior" during the flight. "Out of an abundance of caution the flight was diverted to (Bangor) where it was met by law enforcement," the statement said.
The plane was met by state, local and federal law enforcement officers in Bangor, FBI spokesman Greg Comcowich said. He declined to say whether anyone was in custody and referred all other questions to the TSA.
The Bangor airport is accustomed to dealing with diverted flights.
It's the first large U.S. airport for incoming European flights, and it's the last U.S. airport for outgoing flights, with uncluttered skies and one of the longest runways on the East Coast. Aircraft use the airport when there are mechanical problems, medical emergencies or unruly passengers.
