PHILADELPHIA – A teenage airplane passenger using an Orthodox Jewish prayer instrument caused a misunderstanding that led the captain to divert the Kentucky-bound plane to Philadelphia and prompted a visit from a bomb squad. A 17-year-old boy on US Airways Express Flight 3079 travelling from New York to Louisville was using tefillin, a set of black boxes attached to leather straps and containing biblical passages, said Philadelphia police Lt. Frank Vanore.
When used in prayer, one box is strapped to the arm while the other box is placed on the head.
“It’s something that the average person is not going to see very often, if ever,” FBI spokesman J.J. Klaver said.
The teen explained the ritual after being questioned by crew members, but the captain decided to land in Philadelphia anyway, authorities said.
The flight left LaGuardia Airport in New York around 7:30 a.m.; it landed without incident in Philadelphia about 90 minutes later and was met by police and officials from the FBI and Transportation Security Administration.
Authorities said the plane was searched and passengers were questioned. The teen, who is from White Plains just north of New York City, was travelling with his 16-year-old sister.
“They were more alarmed than we were,” Vanore said.
Klaver said the teen and his sister were never in custody, and have been cleared to continue their travels.More.
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