Posted on 05/23/2002 1:35:42 PM PDT by TomGuy
,b>Firecrackers Found in Plane Lavatory
HONG KONG (AP) - Seven firecrackers were discovered in the lavatory of a United Airlines jet that flew from Chicago to Hong Kong with 335 people aboard, but they were too small to have caused any major damage if they had exploded, officials said Thursday.
The firecrackers were found on Flight 895 during a routine inspection of the Boeing 747-400 after it landed Tuesday night. They did not have fuses, and there was no other apparent way to detonate them, said Airport Authority spokesman Chris Donnolley.
United spokeswoman Chris Nardella said United had not changed its security arrangements, adding that the airline's safety measures remain tight.
The firecrackers were 2 1/2 inches long by half an inch wide, said Hong Kong police spokesman W.K. Lip.
``There was a very small risk involved if they went off,'' Donnolley said, but added they could have started a small fire.
Passengers had already left the airplane at Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok airport when the firecrackers were discovered. The jet was searched and found to be safe before it continued on to Singapore on Tuesday night as United Flight 805.
Airline security has been increased worldwide following the Sept. 11 attacks in which terrorists hijacked four jetliners, including two from United, and flew three of them into New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon outside Washington. The fourth crashed in Pennsylvania.
Yeah, but I bet it would have caused quite a few soiled undergarments...you know what they say, "First you say it, then you do it..."
Each one or all wrapped together??? A single firecracker that big multiplied several times is more than adequate to do some damage.
They sound like the dreaded M-80's. These things may not take down a plane, but they will take off a hand. If nothing else, they are really, really loud, and will certainly get everyone on-board excited.
Not to be a jerk... but there are some "holes" in your statement. First - the plane was enroute FROM Chicago TO Hong Kong - so it would be unlikely that these were simply "forgotten" by an Aisan who 'happened' to have them.
Second, These would have originated in Chicago - thus meaning that US security is to blame (HUGE SURPRISE THERE).
Third - it is not "common" for people in Chicago to have fireworks as these are illegal in Illinois.
Two laws control the use, sale, distribution, and possession of fireworks in Illinois: the Fireworks Use Act and the Fireworks Regulation Act. Fireworks in Illinois are defined as any explosive composition, or any substance or combination of substance including blank cartridges, toy cannons, firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, Roman candles, bombs or other fireworks (see the statute for the full list) of like construction. Possession of an illegal firework is a petty offense if you have less than one pound of fireworks, a class B misdemeanor if you have between 1 and 3 pounds, and a class A misdemeanor if you have more than 3 pounds.
For what it's worth. - Maybe I Have entered "tin-foil Land" - but this seems very strange to me and well beyond an "accidental, coincidental thing".... would seem more to me like somebody got the wrong damn plane.
I would be interested to see if planes were switched (as often can happen due to maintenance issues).
The big question is- how did they get there? Airline personnel? The guys that clean the plane between flights?
Tight?--maybe like a baboon's ass in heat. But totally ineffective for security.
United lies to the public, and therefore it's okay to fly with them. Is that the message, Chris?
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