9 Suspects Arrested After Plane Crash Photos Sent to Passengers on Departing Flight Cause Panic

Nine suspects were arrested at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport after passengers were sent graphic photos of plane crashes when they boarded the flight.

As the Guardian reported, authorities believe the individuals arrested were responsible for sending the photos to other passengers on the taxiing airplane on Tuesday using the iPhone AirDrop function. When people received the images, there was a panic that caused the pilot to return to the gate. The plane was gearing up for takeoff for Istanbul, Turkey when the incident happened.

“The nine [arrested individuals]...are suspected of broadcasting images of an air disaster on the plane, causing panic and delaying the plane’s departure by several hours," said the Israel Airports Authority. "All nine suspects are being questioned by police," it added, noting the act could be deemed a "terrorist threat."

Passengers who received the images, which included photos of the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crash according to the Times of Israel, alerted the cabin crew. According to a passenger who spoke with the country’s Channel 12, one woman onboard fainted during the panic. The suspects have been identified as Israeli citizens by authorities, and could be prosecuted for disseminating false information. If found guilty, they may spend up to three years behind bars.

Last month, the same airport in Israel faced a scare when an American family attempted to board a plane with an unexploded shell in their luggage. As the Guardian reported last month, the family hoped to take home the shell as a “souvenir,” which they said they discovered while visiting the Golan Heights. The scare prompted airport security to call for an evacuation of the area when the shell was discovered at luggage check-in.