Navy Sailor Arrested at San Diego Airport for False Bomb Threat on Hawaiian Airlines Flight
John Stea, 35, faces federal scrutiny and potential jail time after causing a five-hour delay and full aircraft evacuation
A U.S. Navy sailor was arrested Tuesday morning at San Diego International Airport after allegedly making a false bomb threat aboard a commercial airliner, prompting a large-scale emergency response and delaying the flight by five hours.
Authorities identified the suspect as John Stea, 35, an electronics technician assigned to Maritime Expeditionary Security Group One. According to a statement from the Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department, Stea informed a flight attendant that the passenger sitting next to him had a bomb. The incident occurred on a Hawaiian Airlines flight that was preparing to depart for Honolulu, Hawaii.
Upon receiving the report, the flight crew immediately alerted the captain, who taxied the plane off the runway and halted departure while awaiting assistance. At approximately 8:45 a.m., a coordinated response team—including the Harbor Police Maritime Tactical Team (MARTAC or SWAT), K-9 units, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the San Diego Fire Department, and multiple federal agencies—responded to the scene.
All 293 passengers were evacuated from the aircraft as authorities conducted a thorough sweep using K-9s to inspect both carry-on and checked baggage. No explosives were found. The aircraft was cleared and later took off following a five-hour delay, according to CBS 8 San Diego.
Stea was initially released by local authorities with a promise to appear in court. However, the U.S. Navy has since taken him into custody.
“The safety of the public and our personnel is of utmost importance to the Navy,” a U.S. 3rd Fleet spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “We take all threats seriously and are cooperating fully with local and federal authorities.”
Stea has been charged with making a false threat, a misdemeanor offense that carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail. He also faces the possibility of being placed on a federal no-fly list by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).