United plane makes emergency landing in Pittsburgh over ‘possible security issue’ | Pennsylvania

A United Airlines flight bound for New York was forced to land in Pittsburgh and be evacuated Saturday morning after crew members reported a “possible safety issue,” a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said.

United Flight 2092 took off from Chicago O’Hare airport and was headed to LaGuardia airport in New York. Following the reported threat, the plane was directed to Pittsburgh international airport.

Passengers exited the plane via slides, a United spokesman said in an emailed statement. Video published online ABC News’ Pittsburgh affiliate WTAE showed a United jet with emergency slides deployed at the airport.

In the statement made by the bureau’s Pittsburgh office, it was stated that FBI agents and bomb technicians responded to the scene. a social media statement.

Local Allegheny County Police Department officers were also on site, along with a bomb squad and a canine unit trained on explosives.

Accordingly a statement from the police: “[T]The Allegheny County Police Bomb Squad was requested to report that an aircraft was diverted to Pittsburgh International Airport due to a reported security issue. “Our EOD team and K9s scanned the aircraft, passengers and luggage with negative results.”

Bob Kerlik, public relations manager for the Allegheny County Airport Authority, said in an email that law enforcement cleared the scene.

He said Pittsburgh international airport remains open and operating. Passengers on the diverted flight were rebooked on another flight.

Authorities did not comment on the nature of the threat or whether anyone had been detained.