Baggage screening halted for nearly 2 hours after TSA finds skull in bag

SALT LAKE CITY (Gray News) – Baggage screening at Salt Lake City International Airport was halted for nearly two hours after TSA officials found a skull inside a checked bag.

According to a news release from the TSA, the suspicious item was found Sept. 18 after an explosive detector flagged it as a potential security threat.

TSA officers saw what appeared to be a skull “with unidentifiable components inside” on the X-ray screen. The item resembled an explosive device, TSA officials said.

Officers inspected the skull and discovered it was made of plastic, putty, and a 9-volt battery and sensor.

After speaking with the passenger who brought the skull, it was determined to be a medical training device for surgeons to teach them how to conduct a lobotomy.

Although it was not an explosive device, TSA officers determined the item was not permitted to travel on a commercial aircraft. It was held by the TSA until it could be picked up by the traveler when he returned to Salt Lake City.