Bomb threat forces Miami-bound plane to land in New Orleans

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From Yahoo! News (source link):

A passenger’s bomb threat aboard a United Airlines-SkyWest plane bound for Miami on Wednesday forced the airliner to land in New Orleans, authorities said.

The threat was not believed to be credible but the pilot had little choice but to take it seriously, said Colonel John Fortunato, spokesman for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The plane, which had taken off from Houston, was diverted to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport after the passenger, Vivian Tu Banh, 31, of California, made a bomb threat and became disruptive, Fortunato said.

It landed at 9:17 a.m., he said.

Banh was taken into custody by federal authorities in New Orleans, who after interviewing her decided not to file charges, said FBI spokeswoman Mary Beth Romig.

Banh has been transferred to the custody of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office for evaluation, Romig said.

(Reporting by Jonathan Kaminsky; Editing by Sandra Maler)