A United Airlines flight from Dallas to Chicago was forced to make an emergency landing in St. Louis on Sunday morning due to a bomb threat, according to reports and authorities. The airline stated in a statement that flight 380 was on its regular route between Texas and Illinois when the pilot diverted to Missouri about two-thirds of the way to the final destination «to address a potential security issue». A man was taken into custody, though it is still unclear if he has been formally charged or remains in custody. Meanwhile, a source told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that a passenger claimed his wife's bag contained a bomb. The Metropolitan St. Louis Police Department said the FBI is investigating the man's claim that led to the emergency landing. Airport Director Rhonda Ham-Niebruegge told the Post-Dispatch that the remaining 118 passengers and five crew members were evacuated from the Boeing 737-700 shortly after it landed in St. Louis around 8:40 a.m. The plane remained on the tarmac for about two hours while law enforcement assessed the situation. United Airlines later stated that law enforcement searched the aircraft but found no trace of an explosive device, allowing passengers to reboard and continue their journey to Chicago, where they eventually landed more than five hours after their scheduled arrival.
