travelling-blogger

comments

A Venezuelan neurosurgeon has learned a costly lesson after making a joke about a bomb at one of the busiest airports in the US.

Dr Manuel Alvarado has agreed to pay $89,000 (approximately £56,500) in compensation after his wisecrack shut part of Miami International Airport, created chaos for thousands of travellers and sparked a massive police response.

By agreeing to pay the five-figure penalty, Dr Alvarado has escaped criminal charges of making a false bomb threat and criminal mischief, which carried a potential prison sentence if convicted.

'Ashamed': Dr Manuel Alvarado sparked chaos at Miami's airport after he made a joke about a bomb

The doctor wrote in a confession: 'I feel very ashamed and sorry for that stupid thing I said. I am very, very sorry.'

Nearly $84,000 (approximately £53,500) will be given to five airlines that had to delay flights after the neurosurgeon told a gate agent that he had explosives in his luggage, the Miami Herald reported.

Other funds will be given to the Miami-Dade Police Department, which deployed bomb squad to search Dr Alvarado's luggage during last October's bomb scare.

Dr Manuel Alvarado said he was carrying 'C-4' when a gate agent asked if he had explosives

The 60-year-old made the joke to an Avianca ticket agent when he was boarding a flight to Bogota, Colombia.

After the agent asked if he had any explosives in his luggage, he replied: 'C-4.'

The agent asked if that was a gun, but he explained that it was an explosive.

Police were called in and part of the airport was evacuated until investigators determined there was no threat.

Dr Alvarado's attorney, Brian Bieber, said the surgeon was 'sleep deprived' when he made the remark.