Woman not allowed to board due to late arrival tells airport staff she had a bomb in her luggage which was already on board

Yesterday, the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) reported that a woman from Chicago was arrested after making a bomb threat at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

According to the Sheriff’s Office’s Threat Management Unit detectives, at around 8:45 p.m. on Monday, September 6, deputies responded to a bomb threat in Terminal 3 at FLL located at 200 Terminal Drive in Fort Lauderdale. When they arrived on the scene, deputies made contact with three employees who advised that passenger Marina Verbitsky told them there was a bomb in her checked-in luggage – that was already aboard the plane.  

She made the claim after workers told her that she and her party had arrived too late to board the plane, detectives said.

The plane was already taxiing out to the runway but had not taken off when it was rerouted. Passengers were evacuated, and the plane was searched. ~ Click Orlando

BSO’s preliminary investigation revealed and confirmed that Verbitsky made the bomb threat after being advised that she and her party could not board the plane due to their late arrival at the gate. Verbitsky was immediately taken into custody. 

BSO’s Bomb Squad and Threat Management Unit detectives were notified and responded to investigate. Agents with the FBI were also contacted. During the investigation, the plane – which had already begun taxiing the runway – was rerouted, and all passengers were evacuated. A thorough inspection was conducted, and the threat was determined to be unfounded.

No explosives were found, officials said.

Verbitsky is currently being held at BSO Main Jail and faces one count of false reporting concerning planting a bomb, explosive or weapon of mass destruction. 

The investigation is ongoing according to officials.  For more on the story, see the video accompanying this article.

(Source: BSO)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today   /   Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter