F-16s Scrambled to Escort Jets After Twitter Bomb Threat
Published at(ATLANTA) –Two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled on Saturday to escort two airliners enroute to Hartsfeld-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta for a possible bomb threat, NORAD said.
The fighters from McEntire Joint National Guard Base in South Carolina were dispatched at 1 p.m. ET and escorted the planes to Hartsfeld, where they both landed safely, NORAD spokesman Preston Schlachter said.
The fighters escorted both aircraft from a distance behind until they landed.
After landing teams swept the planes for explosive devices and passengers were scheduled to be interviewed by investigators. Video of the scene appeared to show passengers leaving the plane with their carry-on luggage.
The two passenger flights were Delta 1156 from Portland and Southwest 2492 from Milwaukee.
The threats appear to have originated from the Twitter handle @kingZortic, according to officials familiar with the incident. The account only has 11 tweets, 10 of which appear to be related to threats against Delta and Southwest Airlines.
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