In the midst of the heightened airport security following yesterday’s bomb attack in Istanbul, Turkey, JFK’s Terminal 5 in Queens was briefly evacuated on Wednesday morning.
An unattended suspicious package was found at Terminal 5, which services the JetBlue airlines, at approximately 8:30 a.m., a Port Authority spokesperson told Daily News. The terminal was evacuated and all surrounding roads were shut after a Homeland Security K-9 dog got a bad read on the item, a law enforcement source told Daily News.
The NYPD Bomb Squad determined that the contents of the bag weren’t explosive, and the passengers were allowed to re-enter the terminal shortly before 10 a.m. according to numerous social media accounts.
The bomb scare at JFK came only hours after deadly suicide bombing attack on Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, which left 41 dead and numerous others injured.
The Port Authority said in a statement that police have added high-visibility patrols equipped with tactical weapons and equipment at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty airports. The agency reassured people that it continues to monitor the situation in Turkey and is collaborating with federal, state and local law enforcement partners including the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.
JetBlue told QNS in a statement: “Out of an abundance of caution, security checks were conducted at JFK’s Terminal 5 pre-security lobby earlier this morning after a customer left a bag unattended in the check-in area. Authorities determined the bag was not a safety concern and identified the bag’s owner and the check-in area has re-opened. Customers flying this morning may experience minor delays but should still arrive to the airport on time.”
QNS has requested a statement from Port Authority and is awaiting a response.
