Passengers on a domestic Mexican flight reportedly tried to hijack the plane and pilot it toward the United States on Sunday morning.
The suspect, a 31-year-old Mexican national identified by authorities only as Mario, attacked a flight attendant and tried to force his way into the cockpit in order to change flights, according to a statement from Mexico's Secretary of Security and Civil Protection. . Get it from ABC7.
Crews intervened and detained the suspect, and the pilot issued a warning code before landing at Guadalajara International Airport in central Mexico.
The flight was originally scheduled to fly from Leon's El Bajio Airport to Tijuana.
When the plane was grounded, the suspect was handed over to authorities. It is not clear whether he was armed. He was traveling with his wife and two children.
“Today, we encountered an exceptional situation on Volaris Flight 3041 while operating the route between El Bajio and Tijuana. A passenger attempted to divert the aircraft to the United States,” Volaris Chief Executive Enrique Beltranena said. The CEO said in a statement.
“However, thanks to the professionalism and quick response of the crew, established security protocols were activated and the flight was diverted to Guadalajara Airport.”
According to SSPC, airline officials said the suspect told them that a member of his family had been kidnapped and that he had received death threats not to go to Tijuana once the plane took off.
“All passengers, crew and aircraft are safe. Volaris regrets any inconvenience this situation has caused. The safety of our passengers and crew is a top priority for Volaris,” the airline said in a statement. .
The crew and other passengers continued the flight to Tijuana after the suspect was released. No other accidents were reported.
The airline became a plaintiff to ensure that passengers face the full weight of the law, according to a company statement.
