Is Miami International Airport open? Major airport evacuated after 'suspicious item' left at terminal
A major airport evacuated on Sunday evening after a 'suspicious item' was left at a terminal.
Miami International Airport was evacuated after a "suspicious item" was left at the terminal on Sunday evening, authorities said. Shortly after 5 p.m., a report surfaced of unattended luggage at Door 21 of the South Terminal on the Departures level of the airport.
Upon arrival, deputies identified the luggage and, out of an abundance of precaution, proceeded to evacuate everyone in the area, MDSO told CBS News Miami. MIA Spokesperson Greg Chin confirmed the incident with CBS News Miami, saying that the TSA checkpoints for Concourses G, H and J, along with the curbside roadway, have been evacuated and closed off, causing traffic in the area.
MDSO's Bomb Squad was brought to the scene and is investigating the situation. MDSO said in a later update that the Bomb Squad gave the all-clear around 7:40 p.m. and that the airport has resumed normal operations. TSA checkpoints also reopened.
No injuries were reported. Greg Chin advised travelers to plan for extra time due to temporary disruptions during the evacuation and confirmed that flights were gradually returning to schedule.
The incident coincided with widespread travel disruptions caused by a powerful winter storm affecting flights nationwide. While the suspicious luggage caused a temporary slowdown at MIA, authorities emphasized that the airport’s rapid response helped ensure passenger safety without incident.