On Sunday, July 6, an Allegiant Air flight from St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport in Florida to Roanoke in Virginia was forced to turn around shortly after take-off due to a bomb threat. At around 14:03, Taj Taylor, a 27-year-old passenger, informed another traveller that his laptop contained an explosive device. This alarming statement was immediately reported to the flight crew by several passengers. The Airbus A320 landed back at the airport safely at 2:08 p.m. Pinellas County authorities, along with a K9 unit, conducted a thorough search of the suspect’s belongings, but found no explosives. There were no reported injuries, and airport operations resumed shortly after a temporary shutdown. The FBI has taken over the investigation and is working to determine the motive behind the false claim, as well as assessing how similar incidents can be prevented in the future.
Massimo Serresi
