News

Actions

Confusion and delays at Orlando airport after TSA agent falls to his death

Posted at 1:34 PM, Feb 02, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-02 13:34:17-05

(CNN) — An off-duty Transportation Security Administration officer fell to his death Saturday from a hotel balcony inside Florida’s Orlando International Airport, officials said, leading to flight delays.

The man jumped from the Hyatt Regency Hotel at about 9:30 a.m. ET into the main terminal’s atrium, where people line up for one of the airport’s security checkpoints, Orlando police said on Twitter.

There were varying descriptions about what happened. TSA spokeswoman Jenny Burke identified the man as a TSA officer and said he fell from the balcony.

Orlando police said the man jumped, and that it appeared to be a suicide. He was found in critical condition and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. Further information on what led to his fall wasn’t immediately available.

Because of the man’s fall, all passengers at gates 70 to 129 needed to be rescreened, CNN affiliate WKMG reported, citing an airport spokeswoman. There were concerns that some passengers may have passed the checkpoint without being screened, the spokeswoman told the TV station.

Video from CNN affiliate WFTV showed long lines at the checkpoint early Saturday afternoon.

The multilevel Hyatt Regency overlooks the atrium, where the main terminal’s east security checkpoint is located.

As of shortly before noon, 74 flights from the airport had been delayed, and 23 were canceled, according to the flight-tracking site FlightAware.com. A few dozen flights coming into the airport also were delayed.