Bomb alert on flight from Panama to Florida – because of a diaper

10/14/2023, 7:05:04 AM

Highlights: Bomb alert on flight from Panama to Florida – because of a diaper. Because they could not identify the contents of a bag in the airplane toilet, the crew of the Copa Airline flight changed course. After landing, the plane parked in a secluded spot on the airfield, the passengers were evacuated. Subsequently, a police unit specializing in explosives arrived. It turned out to be a disposable adult diaper wrapped in a black garbage bag. As evidence, the police published a photo of the diaper in the packaging on online services.

Caution is paramount: Because they could not identify the contents of a bag in the airplane toilet, the crew of the Copa Airline flight from Panama to Florida unceremoniously changed course.

Enlarge image

Copa Airlines aircraft (archive photo): All-clear after wind fund

Photo: Ed Turnder/AP

A "suspicious package" in an airplane toilet that forced a flight from Panama to the U.S. to turn around on Friday turned out to be a diaper in a bag. The Civil Aviation Administration initially said that the Copa plane, which was en route from Panama City to Tampa, Florida, had turned back because of a "bomb threat." After landing, the plane parked in a secluded spot on the airfield, the passengers were evacuated. Subsequently, a police unit specializing in explosives arrived.

"After a check, it turned out to be a disposable adult diaper wrapped (...) in a black garbage bag," explained José Castro, head of the airport security department. As evidence, the police published a photo of the diaper in the packaging on online services.

mik/AFP