United Airlines Diverts Flight to Las Vegas After Threat
A 25-year-old man was arrested Saturday night after a flight to Newark returned to the gate less than an hour after takeoff.
By Malik Salazar ·
A United Airlines jet heading to Newark, New Jersey, returned to Las Vegas less than an hour after leaving the gate on Saturday night. The flight carried 150 passengers.
Las Vegas police said they detained a 25-year-old passenger following a report of a terroristic threat. Officers booked the man on charges of making a threat or providing false information regarding an act of terrorism.
United Airlines confirmed the turnaround was to address a potential security concern. The airline stated that the aircraft landed safely. Flightradar24 data shows the plane touched down at the same airport it had departed from earlier that evening.
The Federal Aviation Administration told The Associated Press that the flight crew reported a passenger disturbance. The agency said it would open an investigation into the incident.
The man’s attorney has not returned requests for comment. His first court appearance is set for Tuesday.
The flight was delayed overnight. It departed for Newark on Sunday morning. The FAA noted in an email that there have been more than 1,400 unruly passenger incidents in the United States so far this year.
