California Airport Temporarily Evacuated for Security Breach

Both terminals at John Wayne Airport were temporarily evacuated Sunday evening and passengers were taken off airplanes when a female passenger made it past a security checkpoint without being screened, the Associated Press reports via Yahoo News.

Nico Melendez of the Transportation Security Administration told the AP that hundreds of travelers, including those who were on airplanes, had to undergo a second security check, and six outgoing flights were delayed as a result.

The article states authorities did not release information on the identity of the woman who slipped past security.

The AP reports an alarm sounded just after 5:30 p.m., and Orange County sheriff’s deputies and airport security began evacuating the terminals. Travelers then had to line up in front of the security checkpoints. The checkpoints reopened for screening at 7:20 p.m., and many passengers missed their flights and were forced to rebook on later flights.

The airport is 35 miles south of Los Angeles and served more than 9.6 million passengers last year. It handles flights from Southwest, Delta, United and American Airlines, among others, the AP reports.

Compiled by Paul Kerstein

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