Reports are coming out of New Mexico that a “credible explosive device” was discovered under an Avis Budget rental car at the Albuquerque International Sunport (AIS), Sunday, the largest commercial airport in the state–a mere three miles southeast of downtown.
EOD is rendering safe a credible explosive device at the @ABQSunport rental car facility. Airport is open and no flights are being affected
— Albuquerque Police (@ABQPOLICE) February 14, 2016
More specifically, the explosive device found is being referred to as a “pipe bomb” and was discovered around 8:30 a.m. local time, or 10:30 a.m. EST. Though it has since been defused by the Albuquerque Police Department’s Bomb Squad, the fact that it was found at all is sure to leave a number of airport officials and travelers nervous for some time to come, primarily because its intended target is unknown, as is its motive.
Finding the bomb did hold up a number of travelers, however, who waited for their rental cars nearly two hours, according to AIS spokesperson Daniel Jiron, as authorities worked to identify and defuse the explosive device. Fortunately, Avis Budget is not part of the main terminal at the Sunport, nor was anyone hurt. The airport, itself, did not shut down and no flights were delayed as a result of the incident.
According to authorities, the bomb was attached to the vehicle, which had been dropped at the Avis Budget lot after being rented elsewhere. Avis staff noticed something peculiar about the car when they were processing its return and reported it, following company protocol.
Albuquerque police are not saying where the car was originally rented, but rest assured they are looking into it.
Throughout the ordeal, roads near Avis Budget were closed.
At this time, the explosive device is under investigation by the FBI, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Avis Budget was back up to full operation again by 2:15 p.m. local time, as seen in the tweet below:
All clear at the rental car facility. Normal operations for drop-offs and pick-ups resuming.
— ABQ Sunport (@ABQSunport) February 14, 2016
Featured image by Israel Defense Forces via WikiMedia, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.
