Exclusive Delta 273 Bomb Scare Details: 'Forgive Me, I F---ed Up, I'm Sorry'
Derek Stansberry allegedly told officials he had a bomb.
April 27, 2010— -- U.S. officials say they found no bomb on the Delta flight from Paris that was diverted to Bangor, Maine Tuesday after a passenger created a disturbance. Officials identified the passenger as Derek Stansberry of Apollo, Florida.
Stansberry's father, Richard, told ABC News his son is a former Air Force reservist. The elder Stansberry said he was notified late Tuesday by authorities that his son was involved in the incident.
"He's not a terrorist," said the elder Stansberry of his son. "I just found out and I am in total shock," he said.
Stansberry remains in the custody of the FBI.
Officials said an inspection of the aircraft after it landed found no evidence of explosives, as Stansberry reportedly boasted during the flight.
Officials said Stansberry also boasted of having a fake passport, which they say also turned out not to be true.
Delta Flight 273 was heading for Atlanta when Stansberry reportedly made the comments that led two federal air marshals to take him into custody.
According to law enforcement sources, the incident began when Stansberry passed a note to a flight attendant that read, "Forgive me, I f---ed up, I'm sorry."
The flight attendant brought the note up to the flight deck.
One of the two teams of two federal air marshals aboard broke cover and approached Stansberry.Stansberry told the FAMs in a mutter that he had explosives in his bag.
The FAMs then subdued Stansberry. He told them he had taken a valium and a sleeping pill before the flight.
The officials said the marshals placed Stansberry's backpack and shoes in the rear of the plane and packed other luggage and blankets around them as part of a measure to minimize the potential damage from an explosion.
One official said the marshals "literally sat on the guy's chest" as the flight landed in Bangor.