Bomb scare briefly clears Miami airport

updated 10:28 a.m. ET July 16, 2007

MIAMI - A Miami International Airport terminal was briefly evacuated early Monday after authorities found what appeared to be an explosive device but turned out to be harmless.

A watch and other items were spotted in a box that at first appeared to be part of an explosive device, said Transportation Security Administration spokesman Christopher White. The box was in an X-ray machine scanning checked luggage near a United Airlines ticket counter, he said.

“It was a collection of items that, in total, raised our officers’ suspicions to a level of contacting the Miami-Dade (County police) bomb squad,” White said.

Hundreds of passengers milled around on the median outside Terminal F with their luggage from about 5:45 a.m. until police gave the all-clear around 7:30 a.m.

The terminal serves United Airlines domestic and international flights. The evacuation delayed six flights, affecting about 2,000 passengers, airport spokesman Marc Henderson said.

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