Unusual Cannonball Discovery at Alabama Airport
Qwenews.com – While Transportation Security Administration personnel routinely uncover prohibited objects in passenger luggage, the recent finding of Civil War-era cannonballs represents something far from ordinary. Lead TSA Officer Justin Dupree was reviewing checked bags earlier this month at Gulf Shores International Airport in Alabama when his X-ray machine revealed the mysterious projectiles.
According to a TSA announcement, Dupree immediately recognized the potential danger. “My first thought was, I couldn’t see a fuse and need to get some help quick,” he explained. “I couldn’t see the entire item but was scared I might have been holding a live explosive.”
Five Historical Projectiles Found
The agency reported that five small cannonballs were discovered, each wrapped in paper towels. The largest measured approximately the size of a grapefruit, while the smallest was merely about an inch across. Dupree expressed his surprise at the unusual find.
“I had never seen anything quite this unique,” Dupree said. “I’ve seen inert grenades and training munitions but never an Indiana Jones-esque stolen artifact-type situation.”
Law enforcement officials traced the cannonballs to Fort Morgan, a historic site located nearby. The fort has protected Mobile Bay since its completion in 1834 and played a significant part during the Civil War. Today, the Alabama Historical Commission operates the fort as a museum.
Despite confirmation from both TSA bomb experts and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office that the cannonballs contained no explosives, they were still not permitted on flights. Tara Corse, who oversees TSA operations in Alabama, praised the discovery.
“I am very proud of the great catch,” Corse stated. “Even if inert and not active, travelers should avoid bringing weapons of any kind, including replicas, to the airport. They can cause security alerts, flight delays and safety concerns.”
Nathan Lusk, a captain with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, informed CNN that a juvenile visitor from another state had taken the cannonballs. The historical items were subsequently returned to Fort Morgan, and the facility’s director chose not to pursue legal action. A spokesperson for the historical society told CNN that an active investigation into the incident is currently underway.
