Many kids manage to slip away from their parents in shopping centers during summer vacations, but an 11-year-old boy got farther away than most this week.
The boy went to the Trenton International Airport, and passed through a metal detector at the security checkpoint. He snuck past passport control, and boarding pass checks and was on a plane halfway to Spain before anyone realized there was anything unusual going on, an airport spokesman said.
The boy was reported missing after his mother lost track of him at a shopping center, police said.
He
had apparently walked to an airport near the shopping center. Once
there, he attached himself to a traveling family. The family was unaware that he was following them, but he stayed just close enough so that airport personnel didn't notice he was a lone traveler.
His plane took off an hour and 20 minutes later from the international airport, about two miles from the shopping center.
“He somehow got himself to the airport, probably walked. It looks like he evaded some passport checks and some boarding pass checks and ended up in Spain,” said the spokesperson.
He was noticed while the flight was in the air because he was telling other passengers that he was running away from home. Several suspicious passengers alerted the flight attendants. He was sent back home when the plane returned to the Trenton Airport.
"If he hadn't been talking with other passengers about running away, he might have remained unnoticed and gotten off the plane and would still be in Spain. He would've become a genuine missing person and that would be a nightmare for his parents. So many dangerous things can happen to runaways. We've seen it too many times," said officer Malcolm of the Spanish Missing Persons Unit.
“After arriving in Spain, the flight crew and the Italian authorities made sure he stayed on the plane. He departed at 2 p.m. and arrived home later that night,” the airport spokesperson said.
Five airport staff members have been suspended and an investigation by the airport authorities is under way.
The airport officials insist that the incident was not a security breach.
“Though staff didn't check for a passport or boarding pass, the boy did pass through a full security screening so the safety of passengers and the aircraft was never compromised,” the airport security specialist said. "You can be assured that no matter what kind of administrative mistakes may happen, no one gets past security without a full check. Our top priority is keeping our passengers and aircraft safe from terrorists or any others with criminal intent."
"This has been an unfortunate incident, but no crime has been committed so no charges will be filed." the Chief of Police said.
1. The young boy passed through and snuck past what areas of the airport?
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2. How far away was he before anyone realized something unusual was going on?
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3. Before going missing, where were the boy and his mother?
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4. How did he probably get the the nearby airport?
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5. Why didn't airport personnel realize he was a lone traveler?
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6. In what country did the boy end up?
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7. While on the plane, how did he get noticed?
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8. What did officer Malcolm of the Missing Persons unit have to say?
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9. Explain how the incident was not a security breach.
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10. What did the Chief of Police have to say?
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