Bomb Threat Diverts American Airlines Flight Back to Fla.

July 19, 2005
Someone reported discovering a piece of paper with a bomb threat written on it. The note was on a food services cart.

American Airlines Flight 605 out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to San Juan, Puerto Rico, was diverted back to Fort Lauderdale Monday after someone found a napkin with a reference to a bomb threat.

The plane, with 176 passengers, left at 7 p.m., but turned around 40 minutes into the flight.

The FBI and Broward Sheriff's Office searched the plane and its luggage but found no evidence of a bomb.

Here's what happened, according to the FBI:

A flight attendant found the napkin on a tray table that had the word bomb written on it several times, with the movie title Meet the Parents in parenthesis.

In the comedy, the character played by Ben Stiller freaks out and shouts the word ''bomb!'' at an airport.

The flight attendant notified the pilot, who turned around, said FBI spokeswoman Judy Orihuela.

The plane, a Boeing 757, landed about 8 p.m. After about an hour of waiting, the 176 passengers were escorted into buses and taken with their luggage to the terminal.

It was unclear whether the plane -- which still was on the ground shortly before 11 p.m. -- would take off later in the evening.