A Southwest Airlines flight sure from Houston, Texas, to Columbus, Ohio, was pressured to make an emergency touchdown in Little Rock, Arkansas, Saturday afternoon as a consequence of a passenger disturbance.
Southwest Flight 192 landed at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport at about 3:30 p.m. native time, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed to CBS News in an announcement, after “the crew declared an emergency due to a passenger disturbance.”
An airline spokesperson described the incident to CBS News in an e-mail as “unruly behavior from a passenger.”
After touchdown in Little Rock, the passenger was faraway from the flight, the airline spokesperson stated. The airplane was met by officers with each the Transportation Security Administration and native legislation enforcement, the FAA stated.
The FBI additionally confirmed to CBS News that it was investigating the incident. No additional particulars have been confirmed. The suspect’s identification and the fees they may face weren’t instantly supplied.
The airplane had departed William P. Hobby Airport, and was headed for John Glenn Columbus International Airport when it was diverted, the FAA stated.
Disruptive passenger conduct aboard planes has been a big concern over the previous few years. In 2021, 5,981 such incidents have been reported to the FAA. The FAA has acquired 2,178 reviews of unruly passenger conduct to this point this 12 months, prompting greater than 760 investigations.