Albuquerque International Sunport officials said a recent flight was diverted to Albuquerque once a passenger reportedly attempted to break into the cockpit.
“The Delta Airlines flight was traveling from Los Angeles to Nashville when the passenger unsuccessfully attempted to breach the cockpit,” KOAT reported.
The plane landed in Albuquerque just after 2:00 p.m. on Friday where airport police arrested the passenger.
“The passenger was not successful. The plane landed safely and the passenger was removed by police and the FBI. He is in custody now,” Delta Airlines said in a statement.
Video footage showed passengers and crewmembers holding the man down on the floor.
Twitter user Jessica Robertson shared the clip of the incident, writing, “This was our view from the 3rd row right after the @Delta attendants and passengers apprehended the person who attempted to get into the cockpit. He was screaming ‘Stop the plane'”:
This was our view from the 3rd row right after the @Delta attendants and passengers apprehended the person who attempted to get into the cockpit. He was screaming “Stop the plane.” pic.twitter.com/8CG7zNFpTq
— Jessica Robertson (@jesscribe) June 4, 2021
A man wearing a grey vest thanked everyone for their help in restraining the passenger then said the group needed to move him to the rear of the plane.
“I need all available people. I need two people, man or woman, do not care. We need him to go all the way towards the back,” he said.
Moments later, two individuals helped lift the man, whose hands and ankles appeared to be zip-tied together, through the aisle.
According to a Delta spokesperson, the remaining passengers were delayed at Sunport for five hours until another flight arrived.
No one was injured during the incident and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has taken charge of the investigation, the KOAT article said.
The #FBI is responding to a report of a diverted flight at @ABQSunport. There is no threat to the public at this time. pic.twitter.com/GmnOdZPact
— FBI Albuquerque (@FBIAlbuquerque) June 4, 2021
In an additional post, Robertson described the incident and praised a flight attendant and the passengers who helped in the situation for their quick response:
I was on this flight in the 3rd row – witness to everything. Terrifying but our @Delta flight attendant Christopher Williams acted quickly. So did several passengers around me. Safe but still in Albuquerque. Hope @delta gives Chris every bit of recognition and bonus he deserves. https://t.co/5IuxSZ27NN
— Jessica Robertson (@jesscribe) June 4, 2021
“Terrifying but our @Delta flight attendant Christopher Williams acted quickly. So did several passengers around me. Safe but still in Albuquerque. Hope @delta gives Chris every bit of recognition and bonus he deserves,” she wrote.
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