Flight diverted after 'mistaken identity'

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- A security emergency that diverted a New Jersey-to-Colombia flight was caused by a case of mistaken identity, a security source says.

Transportation Security Administration officials Friday diverted Continental Airlines Flight 881 -- which left left Newark, N.J., bound for Bogota, Colombia -- to Jacksonville, Fla., CNN reported.

TSA officials, however, said FBI agents later cleared a "person of interest" aboard the plane and it was allowed to continue to Bogota after landing at Jacksonville International Airport about 5:45 p.m.

An unnamed Homeland Security official told CNN the passenger had been targeted in a case of "mistaken identity" and that the FBI had to verify the person's identity.