'Level 1' Portland airport landing cleared to fly out, stories conflict

Hawaiian Airlines Flight 39 as it makes its way back to Maui after an unscheduled turnaround to

PORTLAND, Ore. – A "Level 1" passenger alert was issued at Portland International Airport early Wednesday afternoon.

The incident involves Hawaiian Airlines flight No. 39 bound for Maui from Portland. The flight, with 241 people on board, left Wednesday morning for its destination but turned around about an hour and a half later and headed back for Portland.

The flight returned to PDX at 1:16 p.m. A passenger – identified by the F.B.I. as a 56-year-old man from Salem – and someone identified as "a companion" were escorted off the plane.

Neither were restrained while being escorted off the plane, according to an airport spokesperson. "Both were cooperative," said Martha Richmond with the Port of Portland.

However, a KATU viewer – snapping random photos at the airport early Wednesday afternoon – snapped one of an individual at gate D-8 who appeared to be in hand restraints.

The two led off the flight are being held as of 3:15 p.m., with federal authorities considering any possible charges. The Transportation Security Administration issued this statement to ABC News Wednesday afternoon:

"Today on Hawaiian Airlines Flight 39 from Portland International Airport (PDX) to Kahului Airport (OGG), the captain made a decision to returned the plane to Portland due to a suspicious passenger who made threatening remarks and refused to store his carry-on bag."

Sources tell the Federal Aviation Administration that concern about the behavior of a passenger inspired the Level 1 alert. KATU News has received information that the plane was escorted inside PDX by two F-15 fighter jets, scrambled to intercept flight communications. The F-15s originated from Portland.

The Associated Press reports that the plane landed safely in Portland. After the passenger was removed, the plane was refueled and the flight departed again. Meanwhile, KATU has received reports of at least three passengers asked to deboard the flight when it arrived back in Portland. KATU News will be following that story in its afternoon and evening newscasts today.

Keoni Wagner, vice president of public affairs with Hawaiian Airlines, said this was a very “low level” incident involving one disruptive passenger.