SANFORD, Fla. — 9 Investigates discovered a second security breach at Orlando-Sanford International Airport 21 days after private screeners started manning the facility.
On Monday, Channel 9's Karla Ray spoke with the worker, who alerted authorities after seeing a steak knife pass through the X-ray machine at the baggage checkpoint.
A 12-year travel security veteran said she took over X-ray duties on Feb. 13 and spotted something her Trinity Technology co-worker missed.
"He's like, 'What are you talking about?' and I said, 'Well, that item. The knife on the X-ray,' and he goes, 'Oh, I didn't even see it,'" the worker told Channel 9.
The woman, who didn't want to be identified, said it was a steak knife that made it through and that by the time she spotted it, the passenger was already long gone with their bag.
TSA sources confirm the breach, but because of security protocol Channel 9 could not get any official comment about what was done to track down the weapon.
The screener who spotted it worked for TSA for more than a decade before being re-hired by Trinity Technology when the private company took over service at the Sanford airport this month.
She said her new employer deemed it to be "not a threat" and the checkpoint continued to run as usual.
"I mean, 9/11 happened with a 1-inch box cutter. This was much, much larger," the woman said.
The woman said she was then fired for trying to help litigate the threat.
WFTV
