A United Airlines flight traveling from Chicago to Minneapolis was diverted to Madison, Wisconsin, late Friday after an unruly passenger attempted to breach the cockpit, authorities said.
Incident Details
The flight, United Airlines Flight 2005, landed safely at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, where law enforcement, including the FBI and local police, responded to the security concern. The passenger was taken into custody by the Dane County Sheriff's Office, and the flight later continued to Minneapolis, arriving early Saturday morning, according to FlightAware data. No injuries were reported among the 147 passengers and six crew members on board.
Response and Investigation
A United Airlines spokesperson confirmed the diversion, stating the flight landed safely to address a security concern with an unruly passenger. The FBI in Milwaukee said agents responded alongside local law enforcement, and the subject was detained before passengers resumed their journey.
In air traffic communications obtained by NBC News, crew members discussed the incident with ground control. One crew member noted, "I do not believe they ever cuffed him, but they were able to finally get control of him after multiple attempts to try to breach the cockpit. I believe at this point he is seated in a seat and flanked with law enforcement officers on either side."
Historical Context
Aircraft hijackings have been rare in the United States since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, when four planes were hijacked by Islamic extremists. However, between 1968 and 1972, known as the golden age of hijackings, more than 130 U.S. planes were hijacked, many with demands to fly to Cuba.
