A Frontier flight set to take off from Atlanta had to evacuate its passengers after a traveler found a loaded ammunition magazine near her seat.
The passenger noticed the alarming cargo while Cincinnati-bound Flight 4771 was boarding at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday.
She quickly alerted a flight attended, resulting in the entire plane being deboarded.
Terrified travelers had to be re-screened by security at the gate as officials tried to determine how the ammo had gotten there.
Security also conducted an additional screening of the airplane to ensure there was nothing else dangerous on board, according to WSB-TV.
In footage obtained by the outlet, the pilot announced: ‘We need to do a security sweep and get everyone off the airplane. We’ll have to reboard the aircraft.’
After extensive screening, passengers were allowed back on the plane.
The entire ordeal delayed the flight four hours.
A loaded ammunition magazine was found on board a Frontier flight (stock image)
Frontier re-screened all of the flight’s passengers to try to determine who had caused the delay
Officials told WSB-TV that the only type of passenger who may have been able to take a loaded magazine through security and onto a plane would be a federal officer.
The passenger likely mistakenly left the loaded magazine on board after taking a prior flight on the aircraft.
Frontier told WSB-TV that the loaded magazine was taken by Atlanta Police to be returned to its owner.
‘A subsequent investigation confirmed that the ammunition belonged to a law enforcement officer who was on an earlier flight on the same aircraft,’ the airline said in a statement to the outlet.
‘The ammunition and magazine were taken into the custody of the Atlanta Police Department and the property owner was referred to the Atlanta P.D. to retrieve his items.’
No one was injured and no further details on the owner of the magazine have been provided.
According to Frontier’s website, neither firearms nor ammunition are allowed to be carried onto their plans.
Most passengers that travel with weapons or ammo are required to keep them in their checked luggage.
Flight 4771 was set to depart from the Atlanta airport but was delayed for four hours over the discovery
The passenger found the magazine near her seat as the flight was boarding
Armed federal agents are allowed to board planes as long they meet certain requirements, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
The agent must be ‘a federal law enforcement officer or a full-time municipal, county, state, tribal or territorial law enforcement officer who is a direct government agency employee.’
The Daily Mail contacted the Atlanta Police Department and Frontier for comment.
