More than 50 flights were grounded at Miami International Airport on Monday over a suspicious bag – but it turned out to be an innocent dentist’s equipment.
Armed police stormed a flight about to fly to Barbados shortly after 5pm and detained the dentist, ordering all other passengers to put their hands on their heads.
However, after three hours of searches and questioning, they determined he was merely a dentist whose kit had passed through security unchecked.
The heightened reaction comes days after authorities concluded a man made it through Egyptian airport security with a bomb that downed a Russia-bound airliner last Saturday.
According to Miami Airport officials, the man’s bag was flagged as suspicious at security and was sent for a second check.
But the second security station did not realize, and released the bag and passenger without further investigation.
When the first security station realized the discrepancy, authorities closed two security checkpoints and launched a hunt to find which flight the passenger had boarded.
Officials say around 50 flights were delayed on Monday evening as a result of the investigation.
Airport spokesman Greg Chin says nine flights were also diverted, and some travelers missed their flights as a result of the delays.
Miami-Dade Police initially responded to the investigation before it was later turned over to the FBI.
FBI officials say a passenger who went through security around 5pm had items in his carry-on bag that looked suspicious.
Authorities say the passenger was questioned and his bag was searched, but the items in question were deemed safe.
Chin says checkpoints reopened around 8pm.
Passengers on board the Barbados-bound flight filmed the moment the man was ordered to stand and be handcuffed, with SWAT team officers interrogating him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPc6djI1ryw&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=JoeLevin
