A passenger on a Mexican flight from El Bajío to Tijuana was arrested after trying to divert the plane to the United States “by use of force,” according to the airline.
Volaris flight 3041 was traveling from El Bajío to Tijuana when a passenger tried to forcibly redirect the plane to the U.S., the airline announced in a statement Sunday.
Due to the incident, the aircraft was diverted to Guadalajara International Airport, where the disruptive passenger was placed in police custody.
“The crew acted according to established security procedures and, according to protocol, the plane was diverted to the airport in Guadalajara, where the airline turned the passenger over to the custody of competent authorities,” the airline said.
The man was reportedly traveling with his wife and two kids, Mexican authorities told ABC News. The man had told the airline crew that one of his relatives had been kidnapped just before takeoff and that he was trying to avoid Tijuana because he faced a death threat if he traveled there, the outlet reported.
All of the passengers and crew are safe and were able to reach their final destination, Volaris added.
“Volaris regrets the inconvenience caused by this situation. For Volaris, the safety of our passengers and crew is the highest priority,” the statement read.
It’s not immediately clear what type of force was used and the passenger has not been identified.
Mexico’s National Guard was notified about the incident, the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) announced in a statement. Emergency assistance was provided and the aircraft was able to “land without incident” at the Guadalajara airport, AFAC said.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing, the agency said. The Independent has reached out to Volaris for more information.