Grenades found in luggage spark evacuation at Seattle-Tacoma airport, TSA says
.jpg "Officials at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport found two inert grenades in a traveler’s checked luggage and evacuated the screening area for explosives.")
A passenger at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport learned he couldn’t bring grenades in his luggage.
Officials at the airport found two inert grenades packed in a traveler’s checked luggage while monitoring X-ray images Sunday, TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers told McClatchy News in an email.
“The screening technology alerted on a bag and a subsequent review of the X-ray image revealed that two grenades were packed in a traveler’s luggage,” Dankers said. “Because it is difficult on an X-ray image to determine whether grenades are live or inert, this type of item is always treated as a live explosive.”
The screening area was evacuated and shut down for about 15 minutes while explosive specialists determined the items were “metal training hand grenades,” Dankers said. The Port of Seattle Police Department took the inert grenades.
Items that look like explosives aren’t permitted in carry-on or checked luggage because it’s nearly impossible to tell if the item is a real threat.
“Explosives continue to be the greatest threat against commercial aviation and there is no place for them when it comes to commercial airline travel,” Dankers said.
It’s not the first time TSA officials say they have found alarming items inside travelers’ luggage. On Dec. 23, a traveler brought a smoke grenade of tear gas and a container of pepper spray into the security checkpoint. They were kept in the person’s carry-on luggage, Dankers said.
.jpg "SEA smoke grenade (2020-12-23).jpg")
“Fortunately, TSA officers discovered these items during the routine screening of carry-on luggage and kept these items from making it into the sterile area of the airport or onto the aircraft,” she said. “Neither of these are allowed in carry-on luggage and there are specific rules for traveling with pepper spray.”
In June, TSA officials found four smoke bombs in carry-on luggage at the San Diego International Airport, McClatchy News reported.
“TSA officers discovered not one, but four smoke bombs in his carry-on luggage,” TSA spokeswoman Lorie Dankers said on Twitter. “These might be good for a game of paintball, but are never needed on a plane.”
This story was originally published January 4, 2021 at 2:59 PM with the headline "Grenades found in luggage spark evacuation at Seattle-Tacoma airport, TSA says."