Sunday, a flight ofAlaska Airlines from Everett to San Francisco was diverted to Portland, Oregon, after a passenger seated on a jump seat in the cockpit tried to disable the plane’s enginesreported the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Flight AS2059, operated in Embraer E175 by Horizon Air on behalf of Alaska Airlines, diverted after reporting a “credible security threat“, confirmed the American airline, explaining that the passenger had attempted to deactivate the engines by deploying the fire extinguishing system, adding that the crew had managed to subdue the individual and remove him from the cockpit. piloting.
According to the channel CNNthe man in question is a Alaska Airlines pilot, identified as Joseph Emerson, 44, who was not at the controls aboard flight AS2059, but was traveling seated on a jump seat in the cockpit as a technical flight crew (PNT). He had to go to San Francisco to take up his shift aboard a Boeing 737.
Upon landing, he was arrested by police and charged with 83 counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft, according to Portland authorities. No reason is given to explain his action.
