Rochester, NY – Two Sri Lankans – a man and a woman – carrying suspected false passports were taken into custody and an Air Canada commuter plane they had tried to board was diverted back to Rochester’s airport because one of their bags was believed to be on board.
During a routine check of passenger information, Customs and Border Protection officers identified two Sri Lankans carrying Canadian passports that were suspected to be fake, Homeland Security Department spokesman Russ Knocke said.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Authorities placed the pair in custody for questioning, during which the woman became upset, began complaining of chest pains and indicated she needed her bag, which had already been loaded onto the flight, Knocke said. “There was a significant language barrier with the passengers, and the male is believed to have made a confusing remark about a possible suicide bomb,” Knocke said.
