Beijing Flight Forced to Return to Seattle After Onboard Attack

2017-07-07 ThatsBeijing

By Justine Lopez

We’ve reported on some rather bizarre Beijing-related air travel stories in our time. Like that time when a woman deployed the emergency slide because she was curious to see what would happen or that time when a couple ran onto the runway and blocked a plane because they’d missed their flight.

Now, a Delta flight from Seattle to Beijing was forced to turn back one hour into the flight after a passenger allegedly attacked a flight attendant.

It was initially reported that the passenger had attempted to break into the cockpit. However, the plane was actually forced to turn back after the passenger allegedly attacked a flight attendant, CNN reports.

The incident took place in the first class cabin of Delta Air Lines flight 129, which departed Seattle for Beijing on Thursday night. Several other passengers had to restrain the unruly passenger while the plane reversed its route and returned to Seattle, a Sea-Tac Airport spokesperson said.

“The passenger was restrained onboard and was removed from the flight by law enforcement without further incident when the aircraft arrived back in Seattle,” a Delta spokeswoman said.

A flight attendant and passenger – both of whom helped to hold the attacker down – sustained injuries during the incident. The extent of their injuries is still unknown. The alleged attacker was also injured but declined medical care.

The suspect, a 23-year-old Florida man, was detained by Seattle police. He will appear in federal court on Friday.

The police and FBI are currently investigating the incident. At this point, authorities do not believe this was a threat to US national security.

"There is no information to suggest this is a national security threat," said FBI specialist Ayn Dietrich-Williams.

[Image via The Washington Post]