US Man Claims "Laptop Is Bomb", Forces Packed Flight To Make Emergency Landing

An Allegiant Air flight from Asheville in North Carolina to Florida's Punta Gorda, made an emergency landing after a passenger allegedly made a bomb threat mid-air on Sunday, USA Today reported. All passengers and crew were evacuated without incident.

The suspect, 27-year-old Taj Malik Taylor, reportedly told a nearby passenger onboard Flight 1023 that his laptop was a bomb, which led to an immediate response from the crew and authorities, who declared an emergency.

"The passenger immediately notified the flight attendants," according to a statement by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. "Detectives say several other witnesses on the plane also heard Taylor state that he had a bomb."

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The plane landed safely at St Pete-Clearwater International Airport, from where it took off. The law enforcement and bomb-sniffing K9 units were waiting at the airport. As per the report, the incident is currently being probed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Taylor was detained without incident and faces a felony charge for making a false bomb threat, punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of $25,000, or both.

Allegiant Air apologised for the disruption and provided $100 travel vouchers to affected passengers, prioritising their safety and cooperating with authorities.

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"Allegiant does not tolerate disruptive behavior of any kind, so the decision was made to return to the airport," an Allegiant Air spokesperson told USA TODAY in a statement. Taylor allegedly showed FBI his laptop and said, "My laptop is a bomb."

The incident caused significant disruption, with the airport temporarily halting operations during the investigation. The plane was thoroughly searched, and no explosive devices were found.

As per the report, Taylor told authorities in an interview that he was recently released from a mental health facility.

He "took his medication last night and was currently suffering from a lack of clarity," the report citing an affidavit.