A Sunday flight out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport turned into a bomb scare after a passenger allegedly threatened that there was an explosive on board a JetBlue plane at Terminal 4, prompting deputies to clear the aircraft before ultimately letting travelers back on.
Broward Sheriff's Office deputies arrested a man after the verbal threat was reported on the JetBlue flight and evacuated the aircraft as a precaution. According to Local 10, deputies responded just before 10 a.m. and took the man into custody while a K-9 team swept the cabin. No explosive device was found, and the plane eventually departed once law enforcement cleared it. Authorities had not identified the suspect in the initial report.
How BSO handles suspected threats
Broward Sheriff's Office bomb-squad technicians and explosive-detection canine teams are routinely deployed to investigate any reported threat at FLL. BSO PIO releases note that teams perform methodical sweeps of bags, cabins and nearby areas to rule out hazards and restore operations as quickly as conditions allow. When no device is found, investigators determine whether criminal charges are appropriate while flights resume once it is considered safe.
Context and possible charges
Terminal 4 has seen similar scares before, including an evacuation in November 2025 after another reported bomb claim that triggered a BSO sweep and an arrest. See our earlier coverage of that Terminal 4 evacuation. If prosecutors file charges in Sunday's case, Fla. Stat. a7 790.163, as cited by FindLaw, makes knowingly making a false bomb report a second-degree felony and allows courts to order restitution for the cost of the response. It was not immediately clear whether charges would be filed.
