SAN DIEGO — A U.S. Navy sailor traveling on official orders to a training exercise in Hawaii was arrested after allegedly telling flight attendants that a fellow passenger had a bomb, forcing the evacuation of nearly 300 people and delaying the flight for five hours, authorities said Tuesday.
35-year-old Electronics Technician 2nd Class John Stea was taken into custody Tuesday morning aboard Hawaiian Airlines Flight 15 at San Diego International Airport after making the false threat as the aircraft pulled away from the jetway, Harbor Police said.
The incident prompted the immediate evacuation of all 293 passengers and crew, followed by a comprehensive security sweep using bomb-detecting dogs. The flight was eventually cleared and departed for Honolulu after the lengthy delay…