Ballistic missile alert hoax issued to cell phones in Hawaii | stirring panic
Hawaii waited 38 anxious minutes before receiving confirmation it was a false alert was given
Hawaiians received unexpected alerts on their cell phones early Saturday morning, which read that a ballistic missile was directed approaching the U.S. state, many people reported on Twitter.
People in Hawaii right now are receiving a “Ballistic Missile Threat” warning on their iPhones.
Can anyone confirm this is a legitimate notice & threat? We have friends/family there. pic.twitter.com/snwCwyrn8Z
— Ryan J. Negri (@RyanNegri) January 13, 2018
The panic alert read: “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.”
The emergency alert was sent to cell phones just after 8:00 AM local time.
Thirty-eight minutes later another update on alert was sent to cell phones noting that it was an error, Global BC’s Lynn Colliar said on Twitter.
So that was 38 mins of local panic here in #Hawaii… #RealityCheck pic.twitter.com/AJphSR8Ro7
— Lynn Colliar (@LynnColliar) January 13, 2018
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency issued a tweet at 8:20 a.m. local time, which simply read, “NO missile threat to Hawaii,” without providing further details.
NO missile threat to Hawaii.
— Hawaii EMA (@Hawaii_EMA) January 13, 2018
Hawaii Emergency Management Agency spokesman Richard Repoza told the Associated Press the alert was false and the agency is investigating to determine what happened.
Tulsi Gabard tweeted
HAWAII – THIS IS A FALSE ALARM. THERE IS NO INCOMING MISSILE TO HAWAII. I HAVE CONFIRMED WITH OFFICIALS THERE IS NO INCOMING MISSILE. pic.twitter.com/DxfTXIDOQs
— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) January 13, 2018
The Federal Communications Commission Ajit Pai tweeted FCC is launching a “full investigation” into a false wireless emergency alert that a ballistic missile was headed for Hawaii.
The @FCC is launching a full investigation into the false emergency alert that was sent to residents of Hawaii.
— Ajit Pai (@AjitPaiFCC) January 13, 2018
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz also updated by a tweet noting that it was a “FALSE ALARM”
People shared their reaction to the incident on Twitter.
This was my phone when I woke up just now. I'm in Honolulu, #Hawaii and my family is on the North Shore. They were hiding in the garage. My mom and sister were crying. It was a false alarm, but betting a lot of people are shaken. @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/m6EKxH3QqQ
— Sara Donchey (@KPRC2Sara) January 13, 2018
The incident occurred amid high international tensions over North Korea’s development of a ballistic nuclear weapon.
U.S. Pacific Command has detected no ballistic missile threat to #Hawaii. Earlier message was sent in error and was a false alarm. pic.twitter.com/Lvg17VNjiF
— U.S. Pacific Command (@PacificCommand) January 13, 2018
North Korean President Kim Jong-un has threatened to unleash his country’s growing missile weapon capability against the U.S. territory of Guam or U.S. states, prompting President Donald Trump to threaten tough actions against Pyongyang.
Trump was wrapping up a round of golf at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida when the event was unfolding. It was not yet known whether he has been briefed about it.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau – Hawaii, a string of islands in the Pacific, has a population of around 1.4 million people and is base to the U.S. Pacific Command, the Navy’s Pacific Fleet and other components of the U.S. military.
In November, Hawaii said it would recommence monthly statewide testing of Cold War-era nuclear attack warning sirens for the first time in at least a quarter of a century, in preparation for a possible missile strike from North Korea, state officials said at the time.
