By Erika Hernandez
An international United Airways flight covering the route between New Jersey and Guatemala was emergency diverted after a passenger allegedly attempted to open one of the plane’s doors while the aircraft was flying at 36,000 feet.
The incident occurred aboard flight 1551, operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8 with 145 passengers and six crew members, according to On Each Day Basis Mail.
The aircraft had taken off from Newark Liberty Global Airport at 6:46 p.m. on Thursday bound for Guatemala City.
The passenger would have tried to open an exit from the plane
According to air traffic records and communications between pilots and controllers, The situation occurred less than two hours after takeoff.
Air tracking data showed that the plane abruptly changed its trajectory to the south and was directed to Washington Dulles Global Airport, where it landed safely at 8:38 p.m.
During communications with the control tower, a controller asked the crew which door the passenger had attempted to open.
The pilot responded that The incident involved the “2L” door, located at the rear left side of the cabin, adding that the suspect also physically assaulted another passenger.
United Airways later confirmed that security and law enforcement officials were waiting for the plane as it landed.
The airline described the case as a incident related to a “disruptive passenger”.
The FBI reported that agents went to the airport to investigate what happened, although so far no details have been released about possible arrests or criminal charges.
Authorities have also not revealed the identity of the passenger involved.
The flight was canceled after the emergency
The airline indicated that The flight to Guatemala was canceled after the emergency landing.
Passengers received accommodation in nearby hotels while the company scheduled a new flight for the next morning.
The plane remained grounded overnight while post-incident inspections were carried out.
Aviation experts point out that commercial aircraft doors typically cannot be opened mid-flight due to internal cabin pressure.
However, any attempt to tamper with an emergency exit is treated as a serious threat by airlines and federal authorities.
So far no injuries have been reported as a result of the incident.
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