Tuesday, October 30, 2001

National Briefs

Bomb threat diverts DFW-bound plane

WASHINGTON (AP) — An American Airlines plane made an unscheduled landing at Washington Dulles International Airport on Monday night after a written bomb threat was found aboard, airport and government officials said. Passengers used emergency slides to leave the aircraft.

The Boeing 757 plane, American Flight 785 en route to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport from New York’s La Guardia Airport, landed just after 7 p.m., according to officials at the airport in suburban Virginia 25 miles west of Washington.

“There was a threat and it is being investigated,” said Paul Malandrino, an operations manager at Dulles. “Everyone is safe. The passengers are off the airplane.”

No bomb was found.

A recorded statement by American Airlines spokesman Gus Whitcomb said the plane was diverted because of a suspicious note found by a passenger, but gave few other details. A government official speaking on condition of anonymity said the note was a bomb threat.

The FBI is investigating the threat, but bureau spokesmen Chris Murray would not comment on whether it was genuine or if the plane was ever in danger.

Immediately after the plane landed it was directed to a remote part of the airport and surrounded by police vehicles.

Three of the plane’s 141 passengers suffered minor injuries while leaving the plane on the emergency slides, a hospital spokesperson said.