F-16 fighter jets escort planes in Atlanta over bomb threats

By: 10 years ago

A Delta airplane at left and a Southwest airplane at right sit on the tarmac at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, in Atlanta. Police were searching the two planes at Atlanta’s main airport after authorities received what they described as “credible” bomb threats. AP

ATLANTA, United States — The US military dispatched two F-16 fighter jets to escort two passenger planes after online bomb threats on Saturday.

Police who searched the two airplanes in Atlanta found no bombs following online threats made against the aircraft.

FBI spokesman Stephen Emmett said law enforcement officials finished their search Saturday night at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The threats targeted Southwest Airlines Flight 2492, which arrived from Milwaukee, and Delta Air Lines Flight 1156, which arrived from Portland, Oregon.

Both flights arrived safely.

NORAD spokesman Preston Schlachter said the threats were made through Twitter, an online social media network. The military dispatched two F-16 fighter jets to shadow the planes until they reached the airport.