Mexican Man Attempts to Hijack Plane in Effort to Reach US
A 31-year-old man from central Mexico attempted to hijack a plane traveling from Leon to Tijuana. Passengers intervened and subdued him before he was arrested. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The suspect claimed cartels had kidnapped his relative and threatened his family.
A Mexican man, 31 years old, attempted to force a plane bound for Baja California to change its course to the United States, but was restrained by fellow passengers, according to police.
Volaris flight 3041 was traveling from Leon to Tijuana on Sunday when the incident occurred. One passenger stood up and tried to take control of the flight, but others quickly intervened, subduing him as the crew decided to divert the aircraft to Guadalajara.
“Emergency assistance was provided to the airline, so the aircraft was able to land without incident at the Guadalajara International Airport and the passenger was detained,” the Mexican Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport stated.
The individual was identified as Mario N, a 31-year-old, as reported by the police in Guadalajara.
According to law enforcement, Mario alleged that his relative had been kidnapped and that he had received threats indicating he, along with his wife and two children, would be killed if he proceeded to Tijuana.
Social media footage captured by a fellow passenger showed Mario being restrained on the flight. Reports from Mexican media suggested that the struggle “caused his children to cry and his own wife to scold him.”
Mario resides in Penjamo, Guanajuato, a state known for having the highest homicide rates in Mexico. The area has been embroiled in a long-standing turf war between two drug cartels, Jalisco and Santa Rosa de Lima, characterized by violence, murders, and kidnappings. Police noted that Mexican cartels have historically utilized hostages to coerce civilians into committing crimes on their behalf.
Upon landing at Guadalajara Airport, the Mexican National Guard took Mario into custody. He reportedly resisted arrest, which led to a police car crash, resulting in unspecified injuries, as per local media reports. Following the incident, flight 3041 was cleared to continue its journey to Tijuana.
Before this event, the last notable aircraft hijacking in Mexico occurred in 2009 when a Bolivian national seized an Aeromexico flight from Cancun to Mexico City. All 112 passengers on board were released unharmed after police intervened following the aircraft's landing.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
A Mexican man, 31 years old, attempted to force a plane bound for Baja California to change its course to the United States, but was restrained by fellow passengers, according to police.
Volaris flight 3041 was traveling from Leon to Tijuana on Sunday when the incident occurred. One passenger stood up and tried to take control of the flight, but others quickly intervened, subduing him as the crew decided to divert the aircraft to Guadalajara.
“Emergency assistance was provided to the airline, so the aircraft was able to land without incident at the Guadalajara International Airport and the passenger was detained,” the Mexican Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport stated.
The individual was identified as Mario N, a 31-year-old, as reported by the police in Guadalajara.
According to law enforcement, Mario alleged that his relative had been kidnapped and that he had received threats indicating he, along with his wife and two children, would be killed if he proceeded to Tijuana.
Social media footage captured by a fellow passenger showed Mario being restrained on the flight. Reports from Mexican media suggested that the struggle “caused his children to cry and his own wife to scold him.”
Mario resides in Penjamo, Guanajuato, a state known for having the highest homicide rates in Mexico. The area has been embroiled in a long-standing turf war between two drug cartels, Jalisco and Santa Rosa de Lima, characterized by violence, murders, and kidnappings. Police noted that Mexican cartels have historically utilized hostages to coerce civilians into committing crimes on their behalf.
Upon landing at Guadalajara Airport, the Mexican National Guard took Mario into custody. He reportedly resisted arrest, which led to a police car crash, resulting in unspecified injuries, as per local media reports. Following the incident, flight 3041 was cleared to continue its journey to Tijuana.
Before this event, the last notable aircraft hijacking in Mexico occurred in 2009 when a Bolivian national seized an Aeromexico flight from Cancun to Mexico City. All 112 passengers on board were released unharmed after police intervened following the aircraft's landing.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
