Hordes of panicked fliers were evacuated from Miami International Airport on Sunday evening following a ‘security issue’ amid travel chaos caused by Winter Storm Fern.
Travelers were seen rushing out of the popular airport around 5:30 pm local time following safety concerns, according to authorities and various social media posts.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said they found an unattended luggage near a door at Departures and launched the evacuation as a precaution.
Bomb Squad officials were also called to the scene and the incident remains under investigation.
TSA checkpoints G, H and J, along with the roadside pick-up area, are closed.
This hectic ordeal comes as delays and cancellations stemming from the historic snowstorm – which has already claimed at least 12 fatal victims – have already sparked travel disarray.
One woman who shared a video from the chaotic scene said people hoping to board their flights were ‘just told to leave’ without any further explanation.
‘At Miami airport…they are evacuating everyone…no idea why, but they said it is a security issue…let me know if anyone sees any news or anything,’ another baffled flier wrote.
Travelers were seen crowded outside of Miami International Airport on Sunday evening following an evacuation due to a ‘safety issue’
Multiple travelers shared footage of the ordeal online, expressing confusion surrounding the evacuation
One flier claimed on X that his flight from Zurich, Switzerland, was evacuated on the Miami airport’s tarmac.
Another man alleged that he heard a ‘pop’ while he was going through security and the thousands of terrified fliers inside the airport began fleeing.
He and another witness claimed the security issue behind the confusion was a ‘bomb threat,’ although officials have not yet confirmed the specific details of the situation.
Videos from the evacuation showed people carrying luggage and backpacks crowded along the palm tree-lined streets surrounding one of Florida‘s busiest airports.
More footage from inside the bustling travel hub depicted employees shutting storefront gates as fliers swiftly headed for an exit.
Confused fliers were ushered out of the airport after authorities found an unattended luggage
No injuries stemming from the unsettling event have been reported.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Miami International Airport (MIA) and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office for more information.
