The Singapore Air Force (SAF) on Wednesday scrambled F-16 fighter jets to escort a Singapore Airlines flight from San Francisco after a 37-year-old passenger claimed he had a bomb in his handbag and assaulted the flight crew.
According to a statement from Singapore’s Ministry of Defense, the passenger plane was escorted to Changi Airport, where the Army’s chemical, biological, radiological and explosive teams were called in to verify the threat.
“The threat was subsequently verified to be false, and the suspicious person has been arrested. Police investigations are ongoing,” the Defense Ministry said.
The arrested person has been charged with making false threats of a terrorist act, and suspected drug consumption, as per police.