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MIAMI, Nov 10 2015 – 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 an aircraft about to fly to Barbados shortly after 5:00 pm 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 realise, and released the bag and passenger without further investigation.
When the first security station realised 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 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.
