Phoenix-Bound Plane Turns Around After Receiving Bomb Threat

July 25, 2005
Southwest Flight 117 left for Phoenix with 120 passengers at about 4:40 p.m. when a call came from the Phoenix area saying there was a bomb on the plane.

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) -- A Southwest Airlines flight bound for Phoenix from Burbank was forced to turn around and land back at Bob Hope Airport after a possible bomb threat Sunday, forcing one of the airport's two runways to be closed for several hours, authorities said.

Southwest Flight 117 left for Phoenix with 120 passengers at about 4:40 p.m. when a call came from the Phoenix area saying there was a bomb on the plane, police Sgt. Armen Dermenjian said.

Passengers were evacuated as police searched the plane but found nothing, Southwest spokeswoman Beth Harbin said.

Southwest brought in another plane to take passengers to Phoenix.