A US plane bound for Omaha from Detroit was forced to make an emergency landing on Thursday (Jul 17) after a man threatened to kill a flight attendant. The 23-year-old passenger shoved the attendant and also attempted to open the emergency exit door when the plane was mid-air.
As the situation escalated, the pilots landed the SkyWest Flight 612, carrying 67 passengers and four crew members, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After the safe landing, the suspect was captured on video being escorted off the plane by police.
The Cedar Rapids Police Department identified the arrested passenger as Mario Nikprelaj. He remains in custody in Linn County on a federal hold, online jail records show. He is scheduled to make his first appearance on the complaint next week at the Cedar Rapids federal court, according to a report in The New York Times.
Jonathan Spencer Van der Waarden, a passenger on the flight, said Nikprelaj had exhibited erratic behaviour from the start of the journey. He unfastened his seatbelt and stood up during takeoff. Then, during drink service, Nikprelaj made a lunge for the emergency exit.
Apart from assault and disorderly conduct, Nikprelaj has been charged with harassment and unlawful possession of prescription medication. He failed to affix a proper tax stamp on 41 pills of Alprazolam -- an anti-anxiety drug commonly sold as Xanax, which was found on him at the time of arrest. The authorities added that he could be charged with additional charges as well.
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SkyWest Airlines confirmed in a statement that the flight had been diverted "due to an unruly customer" and that the plane later continued to Detroit after that person was detained.
"SkyWest has zero tolerance for unruly behaviour as safety for our customers and crew is our top priority," the airline said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said a probe had been initiated with Nikprelaj's background being checked.
"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 FBI said in a statement.
