San Francisco international airport evacuated due to bomb threat; authorities discovers suspicious package

Due to a potential bomb threat, the San Francisco International Airport's international terminal was evacuated on Friday (July 15) night; one person in custody, reports AP.

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UPDATE: San Francisco airport resumes normal operations as police clears the International Terminal. Check-in counters are now open and security screenings have resumed.

The San Francisco International Airport terminal reported a bomb threat on Friday (July 15) night. Airport authorities immediately ordered evacuation, where hundreds of passengers were forced to leave the terminal. Authorities found a potentially incendiary device taking one person in custody. 

The bomb threat was reported around 8:15 pm, where authorities discovered a suspicious package, according to the San Francisco Police Department. “Investigators at the airport deemed the item possibly incendiary. A man was taken into custody but other details were not immediately available. The terminal was evacuated out of an abundance of caution,” police said.

Update: Int'l Terminal and Garages A&G are still closed. Police continue to investigate. AirTrain and BART service still suspended. Bus shuttle service offered between Domestic Terminals. Check with your airline for specific flight information. — San Francisco International Airport (SFO) ✈️ (@flySFO) July 16, 2022

Hundreds of travelers were forced to leave the terminal. The airport announced the evacuation on Twitter at 9:28 pm without providing details about the police activity. The airport's AirTrain and the Bay Area Rapid Transit trains were suspended.

The airport's BART station was closed by 8:42 pm, according to a tweet from the transit agency. Passenger drop-offs and pick-ups were limited to the airport's domestic terminals.

Additional information was not immediately available. A spokesperson for the airport did not immediately return a request for comment.

(With inputs from AP)