A technician from the U.S. Navy has been accused of making a false bomb threat while on a Hawaiian Airlines flight that was about to depart from San Diego.
The Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department announced that John Stea, 35, was arrested following Tuesday’s incident.
According to reports, the individual claimed to a flight attendant that another passenger seated beside him had a bomb. The flight attendant promptly notified the captain as the aircraft was taxiing on the runway, preparing for its journey from San Diego International Airport to Honolulu, Hawaii.
The suspect was later identified as Electronics Technician 2nd Class John Stea, who is part of Maritime Expeditionary Security Group One. He was taken into custody by San Diego Harbor Police on May 20 in connection with the alleged incident, as confirmed by a spokesperson from the U.S. Third Fleet to Fox News Digital.
A Hawaiian Airlines airplane sits on the tarmac after an evacuation on May 20, 2025 at the San Diego International Airport in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
“The plane captain had taxied to a safe location on the airfield. All 293 people onboard were deplaned and transported by bus to a safe area. K-9s cleared the aircraft including all carry-on and checked luggage,” it added.
Stea, described by police as a “member of the military,” was charged with making a false bomb threat and false report of a security threat.
Isai Solorzano, another Navy sailor who was on the flight, told FOX 5 KUSI what he witnessed, explaining that law enforcement officials boarded the plane and asked about the owner of some specific containers.
Electronics Technician 1st Class John Stea was arrested by San Diego Harbor Police on May 20 following an alleged bomb threat. ( Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
“One guy stood up, (and) they immediately told him to turn around and put him in handcuffs,” Solorzano said. “They took him away.”
Fox News Digital’s Nick Butler contributed to this report.
