Local News

Credible Threat of Bomb on Lufthansa Flight from Houston to Frankfurt

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Tony Maples Photography

 

At 8:30 p.m. on December 12th, passengers boarding trans-Atlantic Lufthansa flight LH441, stowed away their carry-on luggage and settled down for what they believed would be a flight lasting a little over nine hours. They never dreamed they would be evacuated from the Airbus 380 a few hours later due to a bomb threat.

The Lufthansa flight, which originated in Houston, Texas, was bound for Frankfurt, Germany.

While the aircraft was in the air, the corporate office of Lufthansa received a call from an unidentified caller claiming someone stowed a bomb on board the aircraft. Personnel at the corporate offices determined the bomb threat to be a credible one.

Flashing Police Light Bar with the title Bomb Threat

Photo: Glenda Thompson

In response to the bomb threat, the pilot of Lufthansa airbus demanded the flight be diverted to John F. Kennedy International Airport. After an emergency landing, the airplane was parked away from all other aircraft and buildings.

All 530 passengers and staff were calmly evacuated from the plane and bussed to a safe location. Luggage was unloaded, lined up and searched.

legs and feet of passengers sitting on a bus

Photo: Pexels/Unsplash

“LH441 was diverted as a matter of precaution in coordination with the relevant authorities and the pilot,” the airline said in a tweet. “Passengers disembarked and Lufthansa staff will take care of them. The aircraft will be searched.”

Lufthansa Airbus A380 in flight

Photo: Images Lufthansa in flight Von Konstantin von Wedelstaedt

The Airbus 380, a double decker, wide-bodied plane, is the largest commercial aircraft currently in use.

The NYPD’s Bomb Squad was en route to investigate, Monday night, and bomb-sniffing dogs were to sweep the plane, Port Authority police spokesman Joseph Pentangelo confirmed when speaking to a New York Daily Times reporter. The Port Authority NY&NJ later tweeted:

At the time of publication, no suspicious packages had been found nor had any motive.