Two men detained for bomb hoax on Vietnam Airlines flight
HANOI - Authorities in southern Vietnam detained two men who falsely claimed they placed time bombs on a Vietnam Airlines plane, sparking an evacuation and flight delays, officials said Monday.
The two, identified as Bach Truong Son, 50, and Nguyen Xuan Hoang, 45, were apparently drunk when they told other passengers before their flight was scheduled to take off Sunday that they had inserted explosives in their luggage and those of other passengers, airline spokesman Nguyen Chan said.
All 234 passengers and 10 crew members on the Boeing 777, which had been headed from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, were evacuated for security personnel to check the plane, Chan said, adding that the evacuation was orderly.
Nguyen Van Quat, head of security at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, said no bomb was found, and the two men, both residents of Ho Chi Minh City, were handed to police for questioning.
"It has caused serious damage to Vietnam Airlines," Quat said. "Canceling a flight costs a lot of money and many flights were delayed as a result. We will recommend to police to punish them in accordance with the law."
It was not immediately clear what charges or penalties the two men would face.
Quat said the other passengers were put on another flight to Hanoi four hours later.
The Associated Press - May 8, 2006.
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