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Plane Bound For Tampa Evacuated At Newark Airport

A JetBlue plane on a runway.
JetBlue's Facebook page
A JetBlue plane. Passengers aboard the airline's flight 573 from Newark to Tampa were evacuated from the plane Saturday morning when a flight attendant alerted authorities about a suspicous item.

By Associated Press

Authorities say a plane bound for Tampa was evacuated at a New Jersey airport due to a suspicious item.

NJ.com reports that JetBlue flight 573 was scheduled to depart Newark Liberty International Airport for Tampa when a flight attendant alerted authorities at about 7:45 a.m. Saturday.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the plane returned to the gate and the 150 passengers were deplaned onto the tarmac via stairways. Passengers and luggage were to be rescreened.

JetBlue said in a statement that the flight was delayed for additional security screenings "out of an abundance of caution."

It wasn't immediately clear what item prompted the concern.

A checked baggage room at the Philadelphia international Airport was closed briefly Wednesday after a device that resembled a pipe bomb was found.

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