A United Airlines flight traveling from Denver to San Diego encountered a substantial delay Thursday after a live bullet was found on board the aircraft before its scheduled departure. The discovery led to all passengers deplaning while security personnel conducted a thorough sweep of the plane.
United Flight 1302 was preparing for takeoff from Denver International Airport when the ammunition was located during routine pre-flight inspections, prior to the Boeing 737-900 taxiing to the runway.
An announcement made to passengers conveyed the seriousness of the situation. An onboard speaker informed travelers,
“The bad news is we found a live round, a bullet on the airplane. This is a security breach here, and everybody is going to have to deplane.”
Passengers were subsequently instructed to exit the aircraft, taking all their carry-on luggage with them, to allow for a comprehensive security search. The announcement further directed,
“We need everybody to deplane the aircraft with your carry-on bags. We’re going to have to carry out a security sweep of the aircraft after the plane is empty. We apologize for this.”
Security Protocols Enacted and Flight Resumes
At the time of the incident, the flight crew stated they had no information regarding how the bullet came to be on the aircraft or its origin.
A spokesperson for United Airlines confirmed the event, stating, “United flight 1302 from Denver to San Diego underwent a security sweep after a bullet was discovered on board prior to the flight’s departure. Security personnel cleared the aircraft, which later departed for San Diego.”
The Boeing 737-900 was carrying 178 passengers and six crew members. United Airlines referred further inquiries about the incident to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Flight 1302 had been originally scheduled to depart Denver around 1:25 p.m. However, due to the security incident, it ultimately took off at approximately 3:41 p.m., resulting in a delay of more than two hours from its planned departure time.
Authorities have not yet clarified who owned the bullet or the circumstances under which it ended up on the aircraft.
