NEW YORK: U.S. Customs and Border Patrol say 13 passengers on a flight from Cancun to New York did not pass through customs.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said they are looking for passengers from an international flight who did not pass through customs after landing in New York City.
Federal officials said 76 passengers were on an American Airlines flight from Cancun to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. When the flight arrived, 13 passengers were ushered through the wrong exit.
“Due to an airline error, 13 of the 76 passengers inadvertently exited through a domestic gate before being processed by CBP,” Customs and Border Protection spokesman Anthony L. Bucci said in a statement.
Ten people have since returned for processing, but three U.S. citizens still need to be screened.
“CBP and JFK airline security personnel and the airport authority are conducting an investigation regarding the incident and will implement measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future,” Bucci stated.