A commercial passenger flight from Las Vegas to New Jersey was forced to turn around after a flight attendant noticed a traveler typing a text message about plans to hijack the plane.
The incident occurred on October 24 as the aircraft traveled east from Nevada towards New Jersey, American magazine People reported. The flight crew made the decision to turn back roughly twenty minutes into the journey.
According to an audio recording held by United States air traffic control, the pilot contacted ground controllers to explain why the crew needed to reverse course. The captain reported that a flight attendant had observed the passenger writing about an intention to hijack the aircraft, leading her to phone the cockpit immediately to alert the flight deck.
Emergency fuel dumping
Before touching down, the pilots were required to dump aviation fuel to reach a safe landing weight. The passenger who wrote the message remained unaware that the flight had changed direction, and the aircraft landed safely without injury to anyone on board.
Dumping fuel is a standard emergency procedure for aircraft that must land shortly after takeoff. Commercial airliners departing on long transcontinental flights across the United States carry thousands of pounds of jet fuel, pushing their weight far above the maximum limit permitted for landing. By jettisoning excess fuel in designated flight corridors, pilots reduce the overall weight of the aircraft to prevent structural damage to the landing gear during touchdown.
Police investigation and delayed departure
Local police officers launched an official investigation into the incident as soon as the aircraft returned to the terminal. The airline delayed the remaining journey overnight, and the airliner was able to depart for New Jersey the following morning.
Civil aviation security rules in the United States treat any mention of hijacking or interference with a flight crew as a major emergency. Standard protocols require pilots to notify air traffic control immediately and divert to the nearest suitable airfield, where airport police and federal law enforcement agencies meet the aircraft at the gate.
The diversion follows another recent disruption aboard an American flight highlighted by the publication. In that incident, an airline captain threatened passengers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation after a traveler set up a personal mobile phone Wi-Fi network named Free Palestine, Zionists.
