A passenger aboard a domestic Mexican flight attempted to hijack the plane and steer it towards the United States on Sunday morning, according to a report
The suspect, a 31-year-old Mexican national only identified by authorities as Mario, attacked a flight attendant and tried to force his way into the cockpit to divert the flight, according a statement from the Mexican Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection obtained by ABC7.
The crew intervened and restrained the suspect while the pilot issued an alert code and landed at the International Airport of Guadalajara in central Mexico.
The flight was originally destined for Tijuana from the El Bajio airport in Leon.
The suspect was turned over to authorities when the plane was grounded. It was not clear if he was armed. He was traveling with his wife and two children.
“Today we faced an exceptional situation on Volaris flight 3041, which was covering the El Bajío – Tijuana route. A passenger tried to divert the aircraft to the United States,” Volaris CEO Enrique Beltranena wrote in a statement.
“But thanks to the professionalism and rapid response of our crew, the established security protocols were activated and the flight was diverted to the Guadalajara airport.”
Airline personnel said that the suspect had told them that one of his family members had been kidnapped and that he received death threats telling him not to travel to Tijuana once the flight took off, according to the SSPC.
“All passengers, crew and aircraft are safe. Volaris regrets the inconvenience this situation has caused. For Volaris, the safety of our passengers and crew is a top priority,” the airline said in a statement.
The crew and other passengers continued their flight to Tijuana after the suspect was removed. No other incidents were reported.
The airline has become a plaintiff to ensure that the passenger faces the full weight of the law, according to its statement.