Authorities are taking no chances with a suspicious package reported on a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas. The aircraft was diverted to Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Ariz., where police have reportedly closed off entrances to the facility while an investigation is underway.
JUST IN: A Southwest Airlines flight from LA to Austin has been diverted to Phoenix Sky Harbor Int'l. Airport because of a possible threat
— OutFrontCNN (@OutFrontCNN) June 10, 2013
"Suspicious device" on swa flight to Austin. Plane diverted to sky harbor. Isolated on the Tarmac. I-10 airport entrance closed. @12News
— William Pitts (@william_pitts) June 10, 2013
TRAFFIC NOW: Due to an incident at Sky Harbor Airport, drivers are being asked to enter and exit airport on the east side. #abc15
— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) June 10, 2013
BREAKING: Phoenix PD- all entrances to PHX Sky Harbor are CLOSED while officers investigate threat on plane pic.twitter.com/BsA8PPPnXE
— Jared Dillingham (@JaredDillingham) June 10, 2013
The plane is reportedly parked away from the terminal and has been evacuated.
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Update:
NYCAviation is reporting that the flight, a 737, was escorted to Arizona by two F-16s. Southwest released a brief statement about the diversion:
We had a security threat on flight 2675 from Los Angeles to Austin. The captain, out of an abundance of caution, landed the plane safely in Phoenix to be checked out. We are deplaning the 143 Customers via airstairs and will accommodate them on their way to AUS as soon as possible.
We can’t vouch for Andrew Blankstein’s source, but the LA Times reporter says a “vague threat” mentioning the Taliban was called in to authorities.
#Southwest flight to Austin from LAX diverted to Phoenix > vaugue threat mentioning Taliban phoned into Airport Police dispatch, sources say
— Andrew Blankstein (@anblanx) June 10, 2013
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Update:
Here’s a shot from a passenger being shuttled away from the grounded flight.
Emergency landing in PHX. Brought down by fighter jets. Machine guns. Wow. pic.twitter.com/PkuuiuMLlt
— Edward Burger (@ebb663) June 10, 2013
NORAD confirms to #ABC15 that two F-16 fighter jets escorted Southwest flight to Phoenix Sky Harbor http://t.co/0ksZbL84ip
— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) June 11, 2013
Twitchy will update this post as details become available.
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