Delta Air Lines flight turns back after security incident in first class cabin

The incident happened on Delta Air Lines Flight 129 from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Beijing on Thursday night. A passenger in the first class cabin of the Boeing 767 became unruly and attempted to enter the plane’s cockpit. When flight attendants and several passengers attempted to restrain the passenger, a fight broke out, leading to one passenger, a flight attendant and the unruly passenger himself receiving injuries.

Incident happened as Delta Air Lines flight passed over Canada’s western coast

Perry Cooper, a spokesman for Port of Seattle Airport, said after the incident took place, as the plane flew over Canada’s western coast, the plane was forced to turn back and return to Seattle. The plane landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport at around 7:40 p.m. allegedly with a Department of Defense escort of fighter jets. However, a Delta Air Lines spokeswoman told CNN there was no DoD escort. The flight finally left Seattle again for Beijing shortly after midnight on Friday morning.

Passenger heard the fight as it was happening and saw the suspect detained

Fox News reports Dustin Jones, a passenger on the Delta Air Lines flight, reportedly told KIRO-TV that he was seated behind the curtains leading to the first class cabin. He said he could hear a scuffle going on. At that moment, one of the cabin crew ran back, saying there was a “Code 3” which he said meant there was a serious fight ongoing up front in the plane. After they landed at Seattle, Jones then saw the suspect in handcuffs and being taken into the terminal in a wheelchair. He said the man was yelling for help and turned the wheelchair over in the airport and was screaming to ask people to help him and generally being belligerent.

Another passenger, Megan Murnane, took to Twitter to say she was at the Seattle airport, waiting for more information on why the Delta flight was forced to return to Seattle.

Morgan Chesky tweeted an image of the plane’s flight path showing the turning point north of Vancouver Island following the incident with the unruly passenger.

Unruly passenger was taken into custody at Seattle airport

The passenger was an unnamed 23-year-old Florida man who was taken into custody by Port of Seattle Police. His first federal court appearance is scheduled for Friday. Ayn Dietricht-Williams, speaking for the FBI Seattle field office, said there was no indication to suggest the incident was a national security threat.

Dietrich-Williams added that the FBI maintains a regular presence at the Seattle Airport and were currently interviewing passengers from the flight. The FBI investigation is still ongoing and more details will be provided once the investigation is concluded and charges are announced.