American Samoa’s Department of Ports Administration confirmed in a public notice that first responders and American Samoa government leaders congregated at the Pago Pago International Airport Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) last night in response to a feared bomb threat on an Hawaiian Airlines transit flight into the Territory.
Hawaiian Airlines flight 465 took-off from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport at 4:27pm yesterday afternoon, scheduled to arrive into Pago Pago International Airport at 10:22pm last night.
It is unclear how American Samoa authorities came to determine that there was a bomb threat but the country had fully mobilised its National Emergency protocols.
Prior to its arrival the airport was shut down for almost two hours as Acting Port Director Chris King and Airport Manager Tavita Fuimaono led an emergency response meeting that included a full roundtable of American Samoa first respondant officials.
A Department of Port Administration public notice confirmed that the officals incldued, “AS Homeland Security, Hawaiian Airlines, TSA, ARFF, DOH EPRD, Immigration, Customs K9, Public Safety and Agriculture”.
The Leutenant Governor of American Samoa called off the bomb threat after inspections by Federal agents.
The flight arrived as scheduled into Pago Pago International Airport without incident.
