Sheriff: Email threat to airport spoofed to look like it came from abroad
Threats at airport appear to come from overseas
Authorities believe they have tracked threats at the Daytona Beach International Airport to Switzerland but there are still no leads on a suspect. Threats were also received at other airports around the country, including Orlando International Airport.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Daytona Beach International airport was shut down Wednesday by a bomb threat which the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said originally appeared to come from Switzerland.
"One of our employees noticed that she had this strange email and it was a generic threat here at the airport," said Joanne Magley, a spokesperson for the airport.
The Sheriff's Office said it was a "spoofed" email, meaning whoever wrote it used technology to cover their digital tracks and they could have originally sent it from anywhere.
"It's much easier than you might imagine," said Dave Benson, a security consultant, "that's why I mentioned what I said before, this could have been bounced off another location or couple of locations."
Division Chief Tim Morgan, with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, said the same threat came to airports in Orlando and Miami.
"Just a general threat saying there were devices placed around the airport, around the area. That was basically it, there was no specific times or anything like that."
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Magley said flights headed for Daytona Beach were delayed while deputies swept the airport, turning up nothing. "Of course it's an inconvenience but you always are going to err on the side of caution."
Benson said that was why airports trained for these kinds of situations.
"It sounded to me like it was handled well and prudently. Hopefully, we won't have more of these. It highlights that organizations, particularly public organizations, must have a plan."
Tune in to FOX 35 Orlando for the latest news.