SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A Navy sailor was arrested after allegedly making a bomb threat that grounded a Hawaiian Airlines flight at San Diego International Airport on Tuesday.
New video shows the tense moments as law enforcement in tactical gear boarded the plane and removed two men from the plane, one in handcuffs.
The Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department identified the arrested individual as 35-year-old John Stea. The Navy says he's an Electronics Technician 2nd Class. He's charged with making a false bomb threat after allegedly telling a flight attendant that the passenger next to him had a bomb.
Passengers on board the delayed flight say they realized something was wrong when the captain announced a security issue. Passengers waited about an hour before hearing the following announcement.
"I want everybody to lower their shades now and keep their seatbelts fastened, and I'm on like, 'OK, this is weird,'" said Chad Nelson, a passenger who recorded the incident.
Nelson says that law enforcement boarded the aircraft shortly after the announcement and escorted the two men off the plane.
"He goes marching by and I'm thinking in my head, 'That's the dude I saw in the bar a few hours ago,'" Nelson said.
Passengers were then evacuated row by row, allowed to bring only their phones and wallets. Bomb-sniffing dogs waited at the base of the stairs as travelers were moved to a hangar until given the all-clear.
The Navy has confirmed Stea's military status. Military attorney Cody Harnish explained that Stea's rank is equivalent to a sergeant in the Army.
"An older, more mature sailor would know better. I'm very curious to understand his intent, and what was going through his mind, what he thought he saw, or if this was a malicious false threat," Harnish said.
Beyond civilian charges, Harnish noted that Stea could face additional military consequences.
"They can kick him out, and depending on the characterization of service they give him, he might lose some or all of his military benefits," Harnish said.
The flight eventually made it safely to Honolulu. Nelson, now back at work in Hawaii, reported that passengers received vouchers for another flight due to the inconvenience.
