A U.S. traveler in his 70s is suspected of having carried two bullets onto a Korean Air plane about to take off from Incheon International Airport earlier this month.
On March 10, airport authorities were alerted that a passenger found two live rounds under his seat aboard an airplane bound for Manila. This resulted in the evacuation of about 230 passengers and crew members and the grounding of the aircraft for hours.
Airport police said Tuesday the passenger flew in from Las Vegas and had a layover at Incheon International Airport before heading to the Philippines.
Police identified the man through CCTV footage at Incheon airport leaving for the Philippines and requested cooperation from Interpol to detain him for violation of the Aviation Security Act.
An airport security screening worker is under investigation for failing to detect the bullets while checking the passenger’s baggage at Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 2.
Police also are investigating why a flight attendant didn’t immediately report to a superior the discovery of ammunition by a passenger under the seat of the airliner.
The flight attendant thought it was just metal junk, and it was only after the second bullet was found that the presence of ammunition was reported to airport police.
The plane took off 3 hours and 40 minutes late.
Police are also investigating how another live round ended up in a trash can on the third floor of Incheon International Airport Passenger Terminal 1 last Thursday.
BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
