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A United Airlines flight had to transmit a hijacking alert after a passenger allegedly claimed he had a bomb and attempted to enter the cockpit.
Flight UA2174 departed Newark Liberty International Airport for New Orleans on Tuesday when the pilots issued the squawk code 7500, which signals there’s been unlawful
interference with an aircraft.
The crew also sent an alert describing an attempted level 4 incident, the highest on-board threat classification used for an attempted flight-deck breach.
Authorities allege Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto told crew members he had a bomb in a backpack and tried to rush the cockpit.
Air traffic control recordings cited by the New York Post suggest the situation escalated quickly.
In one exchange, authorities were heard saying: “He changed into all black before he started trying to reach the cockpit”.
Crew members detained him at the rear of the aircraft and the Boeing 737 Max 9 continued to New Orleans, where it landed safely. Law enforcement officers met the aircraft on arrival.
After landing, emergency responders carefully cleared passengers from the aircraft while the pilots remained inside the secured cockpit.
“We do have the plane empty except for the pilot and [co-]pilot who are locked in the cockpit right now,” a first responder said in audio reported by the New York Post.
The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said the suspect was arrested without incident after the plane arrived. Other passengers were safely escorted from the aircraft and taken to the terminal.
The man has been identified as 34-year-old Gomez-Alberto, local authorities told NOLA.com. Officials allege he acted irrationally and claimed he had a bomb on board.
He was charged with offences relating to communicating false information about planned arson and terrorising. The Daily Mail reported he was booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Centre after his arrest.
New Zealand has only had one convicted plane hijacker in its history.
Asha Ali Abdille, a refugee from Somalia, tried to hijack a flight from Blenheim to Christchurch in February 2008.
The then 33-year-old stabbed both pilots and a female passenger who tried to restrain Abdille.
Abdille was sentenced to nine years in prison.
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