A Southwest Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a “potential security threat” occurred on board.
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According to PEOPLE, the incident occurred on Southwest flight 2094, which was traveling from Nashville to Ford Lauderdale. Not long after takeoff, the flight deviated from its course and landed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
A Southwest Airlines spokesperson told the media outlet that the flight “landed safely… after diverting to respond to a possible security matter.”
Minutes after landing at around 9 p.m., Atlanta Police Department officers got on board the aircraft. TikTok videos from passengers showed them face down, with Southwest flight attendants repeatedly yelling, “heads down and hands up.”
One passenger was escorted off the aircraft by law enforcement. The passengers arrived in Fort Lauderdale around 3:30 a.m. local time.
The FBI Speaks Out After the Southwest Flight Incident
Meanwhile, the FBI issued a statement following the Southwest Airlines incident.
“Those on board reported a potential threat,” the statement reads. “Every threat is taken seriously. Once APD and FBI were able to investigate the situation, it was determined no credible threat existed and no charges will be filed.”
Southwest Airlines thanked the flight crew for how they handled the situation. “We appreciate the professionalism of our Flight Crew and sincerely apologize to our Customers for the significant delay. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of its Customers and Employees.”
The airline further stated, “The Southwest Airlines Crew of Flight 2094 on Friday made the decision to divert to Atlanta out of an abundance of caution due to what turned out to be a misunderstanding of a Customer’s behavior. We sincerely apologize to our Customers for the misunderstanding and the significant delay. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers.”
Passengers on the flight later spoke out about the incident.
“We didn’t know if it was something mechanical, something medical,” one passenger stated.
Another passenger pointed out, “The first time I at least knew that there was someone dangerous on the plane was when the SWAT team came on and started yelling at us, and it was a little annoying not knowing what was happening until we were getting kind of held at gunpoint.”
The passenger noted that she and her family didn’t know anything personally.