Commercial plane in the United States had to make an emergency landing because a passenger threatened to shoot it down

A flight en route from Los Angeles to Atlanta, United States, was rerouted for an emergency landing when a passenger attacked two flight attendants and threatened to shoot down the plane, the authorities reported.

The incident took place on Friday night, at a time when Americans have been using their airways more than ever since the start of the pandemic, and where incidents of “unruly passengers” have increased considerably, often due to disputes over the use of masks.

In the most recent incident, there was a terrifying rampage in front of Delta Flight 1730, according to the airline and the media.

As a man struggled with the flight attendants – and repeatedly said he was going to “shoot down the plane” – the pilot called over the public address system for “all the healthy men” to come.

Several, including a pilot at rest, threw themselves on him and, after a violent struggle captured by video, managed to dominate the man, assured the police.

The plane, which was heading from the west coast to Atlanta in the southeast of the country, was rerouted to Oklahoma. The police of this town arrested the suspect, identified as a Delta employee in his 20s who was not on duty, according to the press.

After complaining of chest pain and showing signs of mental disorder according to police, the man was hospitalized. So far, no other injuries have been reported.

In a statement, Delta thanked passengers and crew who “helped stop a rebellious passenger ”.

Police searched the plane before allowing the flight to continue and the FBI opened an investigation.

During, Federal Aviation Administration data shows ‘unruly passenger’ incidents on commercial flights have skyrocketed this year amid high stress levels and as the use of masks has taken on a political tinge.

The agency has raised 394 charges for “unruly passengers” until May 25 this year, a rate well above the 183 for the whole of 2020, according to their website.

With information from AFP

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