TSA intercepts Civil War-era cannonballs in passenger luggage at Alabama airport

Published Aug 3, 05:49 PM UTC

On July 18, 2026, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Alabama's Gulf Shores International Airport discovered five Civil War-era cannonballs in a passenger's checked luggage. The inert projectiles, wrapped in paper towels, were initially feared to be live explosives. TSA officer Justin Dupree recalled his concern, noting the largest was grapefruit-sized. A TSA explosives specialist and the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office determined the cannonballs posed no threat. Law enforcement stated the passenger claimed unawareness of how the items were acquired. The cannonballs, stolen from nearby Fort Morgan, were returned to the historic site. The article also references a 2019 incident where a Florida man attempted to bring a disassembled rocket-propelled grenade onto a flight.