Suspect arrested in Chile after bomb threats

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Chilean police arrested two men who grounded nine commercial flights in Chile on Thursday by alleging they were planted with bombs, according to Chile's Investigation Police (PDI).

Police patrol with dogs near the LATAM airlines gates in Jorge Chavez airport in Callao, Peru, August 16, 2018. /VCG Photo

The 29-year-old suspect, who was arrested early Friday morning at his home, made the calls because he was dissatisfied after missing a flight and losing his luggage, Santiago's police chief, Jose Rivera Aedo, told a news conference.

Another suspect, a 33-year-old man, was detained at Santiago airport on Thursday afternoon after allegedly “joking” about a bomb in his bag to a friend as he went through security, Reuters reported citing an unnamed spokeswoman for the Santiago West prosecutor.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera wrote on Twitter that his government would push for punitive charges against the suspect who disrupted flights.

“I have asked the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security to complain against those responsible for the State Security Law to apply an exemplary punishment,” Pinera tweeted.

Screenshot via Twitter @sebastianpinera

The flight chaos stranded hundreds of passengers at airports around the region after threats were made toward planes operated by LATAM airlines on Thursday.

Passengers at Jorge Chavez airport in Callao, Peru, August 16, 2018. /VCG Photo

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