"Security breach at Michigan airport"

Sunday, August 24, 2003

Security breach at Ford International Airport
WOOD-TV Ch 8, Grand Rapids (MI)


Cascade Twp., A man is in federal custody after breaching security at Ford
International Airport. The man ran from security guards, boarded a plane and
was taken down by crew members.

We often hear about airport security breaches, but they usually happen
inside - this one happened outside.  The only thing keeping people away from
jets on the tarmac are security fences and security guards.  Early this
morning, one man found a way to get around and over both.

According to airport officials around 7:30 a.m., a man pulled up to a guard
shack and told a security guard he was late for a flight and needed to get
inside the gate.  The guard directed him to the terminal, but instead the
man jumped out of his car, scaled a fence and the security guard watched him
run across the airport operating area.  A Comair jet, part of Delta
Airlines, was sitting on the tarmac with its door open and stairs down.  The
man boarded the plane.  The jet was empty with the exception of crew members
who subdued the man and called police. He was removed from the plane and
arrested.

The airport was never shut down during the incident.  A Transportation
Security Administration spokesperson says the man was under watch before he
even jumped the fence. Officials say the man was always in sight of security
and that all security measures were working.
 
The security guards outside the airport do not carry guns or handcuffs.
Their primary function is to keep traffic flowing.  However, there are
police on site and they did respond.

As for the man in question, 24 Hour News 8 learned he was not armed.  The
Transportation Security Administration says he has mental problems.  The FBI
is expected to charge him with trespassing and boarding a plane illegally.

An airport spokesman says this is something that rarely happens and the man
was handled quickly and safely.


 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dc/dcboard.php

*****************************************