(Photo: Passengers evacuate the terminal at the Fort McMurray International Airport. Dec. 19, 2014. Nick Bernard/Rogers staff).
The man who prompted an evacuation at the Fort McMurray International Airport is facing two charges.
Thirty-year-old Luke Ryan Penner of Calgary is facing counts of disturbing the peace and endangering an aircraft or airport.
On Dec. 19, 2014, the airport halted operations and evacuated an Air Canada flight and passengers who were waiting in the terminal. Wood Buffalo RCMP was called about a man that was pulled from a plane because he was allegedly making comments about a bomb.
Penner was arrested and the airport resumed operations later that day, however flights were disrupted because of the incident. At a news conference afterwards, Superintendent Bob Couture said police take all threats or comments very seriously.
Penner was released from custody the next day, with the condition that he can’t attend the Fort McMurray Airport or disturb the peace. He was scheduled for his first court appearance on Jan. 12, 2015.
