Flights at the closest airport to Washington, D.C., were briefly halted on Election Day due to a “security threat” that local authorities investigated.
“Earlier today, a United flight from Houston to Washington, D.C., received a bomb threat. The flight landed safely at DCA, passengers were evacuated, and law enforcement conducted a full search of the aircraft,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on X.
In a statement to the Washington Examiner, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said United Airlines Flight 512 landed at Ronald Reagan National Airport around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday and “then stopped on an adjacent runway away from the terminal in response to a security threat.”
Passengers on the flight were “safely offloaded and bused to the terminal” while the airport’s runways remained closed until 12:50 p.m., when they reopened to the public.
Emergency crews were seen parked near the flight, with officials evacuating passengers off the airplane.
“Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police are conducting a thorough investigation with the assistance of multiple law enforcement partners,” MWAA said. “Several flights were diverted to other airports during the runway closure. People meeting passengers or flying this afternoon should expect delays and check with their airline for updated flight information.”
DUFFY SAYS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SHORTAGE ADDS ‘MORE RISK’ TO FLYING
“The [FAA] has received the all clear and operations have resumed,” Duffy added. “I want to thank our brave men and women in law enforcement for their quick response.”
The Federal Aviation Administration also told the Washington Examiner that operations have resumed following the incident involving the flight from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas. FAA operations, particularly those carried out by air traffic controllers, have been affected by the funding lapse that comes with the prolonged government shutdown.
