LOS ANGELES?The discovery of an unplugged metal detector forced the evacuation of five terminals at Los Angeles International Airport early Thursday and delayed more than 300 flights, authorities said.

Hundreds of passengers from terminals No. 4 through 8 had to be rescreened at security checkpoints after authorities discovered at 6:30 a.m. that a metal detector was not working at terminal 4, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jerry Snyder.

“One of the metal detectors was found unplugged,” Snyder said. “We do not know if it was malicious or not.”

The five terminals, on the airport’s south side, were emptied as a precaution because travelers could wander between the buildings once they cleared security, airport officials said.

About 325 departing flights from several major airlines, including American, Delta, United and Continental, were delayed.