US Flight Diverted After Man Tries To Open Emergency Door Mid-Air, Threatens To Kill Attendant
A US flight from Detroit to Omaha was forced to make an emergency landing after a man attempted to open the emergency exit door mid-air and threatened to kill a flight attendant.
The incident took place on Thursday (July 17) and the passenger, 23-year-old Mario Nikprelaj, also pushed a flight attendant during the episode.
The SkyWest Flight 612 was carrying 67 passengers and four crew members when the disturbance occurred.
According to a report by The New York Times, as the situation escalated, the pilots diverted the flight and made a safe landing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where police were waiting. Nikprelaj was then escorted off the plane and taken into custody.
The 23-year-old is currently being held in Linn County under a federal hold and is expected to make his first court appearance next week at the federal court in Cedar Rapids.
According to fellow passenger Jonathan Spencer Van der Waarden, who spoke to the publication, Nikprelaj had been behaving oddly even before takeoff. He stood up during the takeoff and later attempted to open the emergency exit during the drink service. Crew members and passengers quickly intervened to stop him.
SkyWest Airlines released a statement confirming that the flight was diverted due to 'an unruly customer." The airline said the plane later continued its journey after the passenger was removed. 'SkyWest has zero tolerance for unruly behaviour as safety for our customers and crew is our top priority," the statement added.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched an investigation into the incident. 'The FBI takes threats to aviation seriously and we work with our partners to address crimes occurring on commercial aircraft that endanger the safety of passengers, flight crews, and flight attendants," the agency said.
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