Salt Lake Tribune
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A United Airlines plane with 193 passengers and six crew members was diverted to make an emergency landing at Salt Lake City International Airport on Thursday morning after a note containing a bomb threat was found on board.
Airport International Operations Superintendent Dave Korzep said the aircraft, United Flight 741, left Denver at 8:23 a.m. It was en route to San Francisco when the decision was made to divert the plane.
No explosions or injuries were reported, and the plane touched down in Salt Lake City about 10 a.m. It taxied to a cargo area on the north end of the airport, where passengers and crew were loaded onto buses. They were taken to the airport’s International Terminal, the same part of the facility where U.S. Customs and Immigration offices are located, to be debriefed.
“Following our standard security protocols, the aircraft will be sequestered ... and the passengers detained for questioning,” Korzep said.
Airport spokeswoman Barbara Gann said the emergency was declared in the air after a flight attendant found the threatening note. Gann did not know specifically what the note said, or exactly where it was discovered, but it did mention a bomb.
A United Airlines spokeswoman said the airline is not sure when the passengers will be taken to their final destinations.
“As a precautionary measure the crew diverted to Salt Lake City and requested support from local authorities,” said United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski.
FBI agents, airport police and bomb-sniffing dogs immediately entered the aircraft after it was cleared. Korzep said the dogs and bomb experts moved on to check each suitcase and bag on the plane as well.
Gann said there was no clear indication of when passengers would be released, or when they could continue on to their destinations.
“They are being held in a secure place until the investigation is complete. When the FBI feels they can go free, then they can talk about rebooking their flights,” she said.
FBI spokeswoman Deborah Bertram declined to discuss the incident, other than to confirm agents were sent to the scene and were working in cooperation with airport security to investigate the case.
Copyright 2010 Salt Lake Tribune