Sea-Tac airport steps up security in cargo areas, terminals

SEATTLE — Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has added temporary security measures in cargo areas and inside airport terminals after a rogue ground-service agent took off Friday in a Q400 turboprop plane and crashed it into a south Puget Sound island, officials said.

Port of Seattle Commissioner Courtney Gregoire said on Monday at a news conference that the port had not yet identified any lapses in security protocols after Horizon Air employee Richard Russell stole the plane.

“All security protocols were taken care of,” she said, describing the heist as a one-in-amillion aberration.

When asked if it scared her that the protocols were not able to prevent the incident, Gregoire said: “It’s not fear, it’s how do we get better.”

On Friday, Russell got into a pushback tractor, attached it to the empty aircraft and turned the airplane toward the runways, authorities said. He then taxied to runway 16C and took off at 7:32 p.m. He crashed about one hour and 10 minutes later in a wooded area of Ketron Island in south Puget Sound.

The FBI said on Sunday night that it had recovered the flight-data recorder and components of the cockpit voice recorder from the wreckage, as well as human remains.

Gregoire said airport workers undergo background checks going back 10 years. Sea-Tac Airport 18 months ago also added physical screening for airport workers who access secure areas. Workers must present a badge, go through a metal detector and biometric screening, which analyzes a fingerprint.

Sea-Tac Airport spokesman Perry Cooper said workers are “red-lighted” and denied access to airport areas they don’t frequent.

“Just because you have a badge doesn’t mean you can go everywhere,” he said.

Gregoire said the port, airlines and other stakeholders had already begun to review security processes. She said she expected it would be part of a “national conversation” that involved the federal government.