A U.S. Navy technician was identified as the suspect charged with making a false bomb threat on board a Hawaiian Airlines flight preparing to take off from San Diego. 

The Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department announced that John Stea, 35, was arrested following Tuesday’s incident. 

“The suspect was onboard Hawaiian Airlines flight 15 when he told a flight attendant the passenger next to him had a bomb. The flight attendant informed the captain of the plane about the potential threat as the flight was pulling away from the jetway and getting ready to depart the San Diego International Airport to Honolulu, Hawaii,” it said in a statement. 

A spokesperson for the U.S. Third Fleet told KITV that “Electronics Technician 1st Class John Stea, assigned to Maritime Expeditionary Security Group One, was arrested by San Diego Harbor Police on May 20 following an alleged bomb threat.  

A Hawaiian Airlines airplane sits on the tarmac after an evacuation on May 20, 2025 at the San Diego International Airport in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

“The plane captain had taxied to a safe location on the airfield. All 293 people onboard were deplaned and transported by bus to a safe area. K-9s cleared the aircraft including all carry-on and checked luggage,” it added. 

Stea, described by police as a “member of the military,” was charged with making a false bomb threat and false report of a security threat. 

Isai Solorzano, another Navy sailor who was on the flight, told FOX 5 KUSI what he witnessed, explaining that law enforcement officials boarded the plane and asked about the owner of some specific containers. 

Electronics Technician 1st Class John Stea was arrested by San Diego Harbor Police on May 20 following an alleged bomb threat. ( Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“One guy stood up, (and) they immediately told him to turn around and put him in handcuffs,” Solorzano said. “They took him away.” 

Fox News Digital’s Nick Butler contributed to this report.