An Allegiant Air flight from St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport was forced to return shortly after takeoff after a passenger claimed his laptop was a bomb.
Allegiant Air flight G41023 to Roanoke, Virginia, was forced to return shortly after takeoff to St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport on Sunday after a passenger claimed his laptop was a bomb.
Authorities were alerted around 2:03 p.m. to a verbal threat made aboard Allegiant flight 1023. The A320 aircraft (registration N275NV) landed safely back at St. Pete–Clearwater Airport at approximately 2:08 p.m.
Investigators said 27-year-old man told another passenger that his laptop contained a bomb. The passenger immediately informed flight attendants, and several other passengers also reported hearing him make the claim.
A search of the passenger belongings by the sheriff’s office K9 unit turned up no explosives.
Airport operations there have been temporarily suspended. The FBI is now leading the investigation into the bomb threat.
