Flight to Florida returns to Panama over a suspected bomb that turns out to be an adult diaper

PANAMA CITY (AP) — Airport security at Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport on Friday searched a Copa airline flight bound for Tampa, Florida, for a suspected bomb, only to find an adult diaper.

The plane had returned to the Panama City airport earlier Friday following reports of a possible bomb.

The Boeing 737-800 landed around 11 a.m. local time and moved to an isolated stretch of the tarmac, where 144 passengers were taken off the plane, Panama’s Civil Aeronautics Authority said on the social media platform X.

An anti-explosives team inspected the aircraft.

José Castro, the head of the airport’s security team, said a suspicious object in one of the plane’s bathrooms was found to be an adult diaper.

“We had it on a secure runway where police special explosives canine units and special forces examined the object, and found it to be an adult diaper, ruling out any risk,” Castro said.