A veteran Argentinian flight attendant is facing the threat of spending six years in prison after she was accused of calling in a bomb threat against a Miami-bound plane because her ex-boyfriend was onboard with his new girlfriend.
Daniela Carbone, 47, stands accused of aggravated coercion, public intimidation and obstruction of public service after a false bomb threat resulted in an Aerolineas Argentinas Airbus A330 aircraft being evacuated on the runway at Ezeiza Airport in Buenos Aires three weeks ago.
Prosecutors allege that Carbone called in the bomb threat to stop her ex-boyfriend from flying to Miami to see his family. The ex-boyfriend is also a flight attendant for the state-run Argentinian flag carrier and was travelling with his new girlfriend, who is also a flight attendant at the same airline.
Local media have reported that Carbone had been in a romantic relationship with her colleague for the past five years, but they broke up around two months ago.
It is alleged that Carbone used her daughter’s cellphone with a disposable sim card to call in the bomb threat with a distorted voice:
“Tell the little captain that we put three bombs in the Miami,” the threat said. “Tell him to stop f**king around with politics and check the plane because they are going to be blown to smithereens”.
The May 21 threat resulted in the Airbus A330 aircraft being stopped on the runway at Buenos Aires Airport, and all 270 passengers and 12 crew members evacuated onto the runway while police checked for explosive devices.
Carbone has already been terminated by Aerolineas Argentinas and has been held in custody since May 28 while investigators determine whether there is enough evidence to press charges against the ex-flight attendant.
She was arrested at the request of a federal judge by Argentina’s Anti-Terrorist Operational Unit.
Aerolineas Argentinas says the threat has caused “severe economic and reputational damage to the company”. A spokesperson confirmed that Carbone had worked for the airline for 24 years and had been an instructor for the past 14 years.
