A casual Call of Duty gaming session took an unexpected turn when a passenger's FaceTime call sparked a bomb scare.
A Call of Duty player's gaming conversation has caused a major security scare at a California airport after another passenger mistook references to in-game explosives for a potential bomb threat.
The incident took place on Sunday, November 8, at Ontario International Airport in California, where a Frontier Airlines flight was preparing to depart.
According to CBS News, a passenger aboard the aircraft overheard someone mentioning the words "bomb" and "explosion" during a conversation and immediately alerted the flight crew. Authorities quickly reacted to the potential security threat, leading to the evacuation of the aircraft and the east wing of Terminal 2.
Call of Duty Gameplay Mistaken for Real Bomb Threat
The situation prompted the Ontario Police Department to respond to the airport shortly before 10 p.m. local time. Officers subsequently detained the individual responsible for the suspicious conversation while investigating the reported threat.
However, the explanation turned out to be considerably less alarming than initially feared. During questioning, the individual told police that he had been talking to a friend over FaceTime while playing an online match of Call of Duty.
According to his explanation, references to bombs and explosions were related to events happening inside the game rather than a reference to an actual explosive device.
No Explosives Were Found
Following the explanation, authorities conducted a sweep of the aircraft to ensure no danger threatened the safety of passengers. No bomb or explosive device was discovered aboard the plane, and officials determined that no crime had been committed.
All passengers, including the individual who had been detained, were eventually allowed to reboard the aircraft and continue their journey.
Authorities did not immediately disclose the flight's destination or how long the incident delayed its departure.