A 31-year-old man was taken into custody on Sunday after attempting to redirect a domestic flight in Mexico to the United States while it was en route. The incident occurred on an Airbus A320 plane, which departed from Leon, Guanajuato, bound for Tijuana, but was forced to make an emergency landing at Guadalajara International Airport approximately 45 minutes into the flight.
According to a statement from the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection, the man assaulted a flight attendant and attempted to enter the cockpit to divert the flight to the US. However, crew members were able to subdue him, and an alert was issued to conduct an emergency landing in Guadalajara.
A report from flight operator Volaris revealed that the man claimed a close relative had been kidnapped and that he was threatened to be killed if he went to Tijuana. The flight resumed its journey to Tijuana after the arrest.
The incident highlights the growing concern of kidnapping and extortion in Guanajuato, one of the states hardest hit by drug cartel violence. The number of passengers on board the flight was not disclosed.
