MP3 player, herbal remedies lead to O'Hare emergency landing

Homeopathic tinctures and digital music geegaws perceived as terrorist threat by frequent, freaked-out flyers. Chaos ensues.

An airline passenger's MP3 player and three vials harmless herbal remedies led to an emergency landing at O'Hare International Airport, the evacuation of 74 passengers and crew and a search of the plane Tuesday by the Chicago Police bomb squad.

The United Airlines flight was headed from New York to San Francisco when a passenger told a flight attendant he saw another passenger with suspicious materials, United spokesman Jeff Green said.

The flight crew looked at the materials, and the pilot decided to land at O'Hare. The 66 passengers and eight crew members were evacuated while the bomb squad inspected the materials and the plane, Green said.

Link (via Wayne Correia's list)