Passengers On 5 Flights Screened After JFK Security Breach

Friday, April 6th 2007, 5:52 pm

By: News On 6

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) _ Passengers aboard five flights from New York were evacuated and screened at their destination cities as authorities tried to find a man who breached security at John F. Kennedy International Airport, officials said Friday.

No arrests were made and no one was detained at any of the five airports where the flights landed Thursday, Transportation Security Administration spokesman Christopher White said.

The flights went to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Palm Beach, Salt Lake City and San Diego, White said.

The five flights were singled out because they shut their doors and began takeoff just after the security breach was announced, creating the ``small likelihood'' that the man could have gotten on board, White said.

Thursday's security breach at JFK's Terminal 3 caused security officials to evacuate parts of two terminals, delaying some flights for hours, authorities said. TSA workers and officials with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, have been unable to locate the man, White said.

There were about 140 passengers aboard the flight that arrived in Orlando about 8:15 p.m., airport spokeswoman Carolyn Fennell said. The passengers were searched on the tarmac and released by 9:40 p.m. she said.