A domestic flight in Mexico was thrown into chaos on Sunday when a passenger attempted to commandeer the aircraft with the intention of diverting it to the United States. The passenger, a 31-year-old Mexican national identified only as Mario, assaulted a member of the cabin crew and attempted to gain entry to the cockpit to change the plane’s trajectory. This information was disclosed in a statement by the Mexican Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection.
The flight crew acted swiftly, subduing the suspect while the pilot issued an emergency code and safely landed the plane at the International Airport of Guadalajara in central Mexico. The flight, operated by Volaris, had initially departed from the El Bajio airport in Leon, with Tijuana as its planned destination.
Volaris confirmed the incident, stating that the passenger had initiated a physical altercation with a flight attendant and tried to breach the cockpit. Once the plane was safely on the ground, the suspect was handed over to law enforcement. It remains uncertain whether the individual was armed during the incident. He was traveling with his wife and two children.
Volaris CEO Enrique Beltranena addressed the incident in a statement, saying, “Today we faced an exceptional situation on Volaris flight 3041, which was covering the El Bajío – Tijuana route. A passenger tried to divert the aircraft to the United States.” He commended the crew’s professionalism and quick response, which enabled the activation of established security protocols and the diversion of the flight to Guadalajara airport.
According to airline staff, the suspect alleged that a family member had been kidnapped and that he had received death threats warning him against traveling to Tijuana after the flight had taken off. This information was relayed by the SSPC.
Volaris expressed regret over the incident and assured that the safety of passengers and crew is a top priority. “All passengers, crew and aircraft are safe,” the airline stated. After the suspect was removed, the flight continued to its original destination of Tijuana without further incident.
Volaris has initiated legal proceedings to ensure that the passenger is held accountable under the law, as stated in their official communication.