Pipe bomb, device used to trigger avalanches, closes Alaskan airport

Security agents at Alaska's largest commercial airport closed the lone security checkpoint for nearly two hours after discovering an oilfield worker packing an explosive device.

The "possible threat item" was detected as the passenger's carry-on bag was being screened at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on Sunday afternoon, said Ann Davis, a US Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman.

The device appeared to be a pipe bomb and the passenger told authorities it was a device used to trigger avalanches, said airport manager John Parrott.

The checkpoint area was evacuated and the city's explosive ordinance team took the device to a remote area for disposal, officials said.

The passenger had a ticket to fly on Shared Services Aviation, a joint service between energy companies ConocoPhillips and BP, which transports employees and contractors.

Both firms are oilfield operators on Alaska's oil-rich North Slope.