Source: Shutterstock.com
Hawaiians residents were sent an alert of an imminent missile attack that was later found to be a false alarm, sent out because of a “wrong button” being pushed.
According to ABC News, Hawaii House Speaker Scott Saiki gave out the following statement:
“This system we have been told to rely upon failed and failed miserably today…I am deeply troubled by this misstep that could have had dire consequences.”
“Apparently, the wrong button was pushed and it took over 30 minutes for a correction to be announced. Parents and children panicked during those 30 minutes.”
The alert was sent to people’s mobile phones at about 8:08 A.M. local time, reading, in caps, “Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill.”
Shortly after, it was confirmed by U.S. Pacific Command spokesman Dave Benham that no threat was detected:
“Earlier message was sent in error. State of Hawaii will send out a correction message as soon as possible.”
Correction messages were later sent to phones reading the following message:
“There is no missile threat or danger to the State of Hawaii.”
The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Ajit Pai, released a message on social media saying that the FCC has launched a full investigation into the false alarm.
Hawaii Missile False Alarm Photos & Videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfvju0sBXgc
Hawaii False Alarm Updates
There is no missile threat. It was a false alarm based on a human error. There is nothing more important to Hawai‘i than professionalizing and fool-proofing this process.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) January 13, 2018
AGAIN FALSE ALARM. What happened today is totally inexcusable. The whole state was terrified. There needs to be tough and quick accountability and a fixed process.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) January 13, 2018
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
Got a call from my ma. The bomb sirens are going off an an alert is broadcasting state wide that North Korea sent a missle to Hawaii…
— Kaya 🍯 (@kulanaiwi) January 13, 2018
People in Hawaii receiving an alert on their phones warning of “ballistic missle threat inbound” https://t.co/hEZbEoKhtY
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) January 13, 2018
Sooon why tf did we just get a missle threat in Hawaii?!?! pic.twitter.com/qHMDPFHkth
— kiana (@xoKiana_) January 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/JHapz34/status/952241789691355137
