Mexican Flight Passenger Attempts Hijacking, Diverting Plane to US

A shocking incident unfolded aboard a domestic Mexican flight on Sunday morning when a passenger tried to hijack the plane and divert it towards the United States.

The suspect, identified only as Mario, a 31-year-old Mexican national, reportedly attacked a flight attendant and attempted to force his way into the cockpit.

The crew quickly intervened, restraining the passenger, while the pilot alerted authorities and made an emergency landing at Guadalajara International Airport, located in central Mexico. The flight, Volaris Flight 3041, was traveling from El Bajio Airport in Leon to Tijuana when the incident occurred.

Once the plane landed safely, the suspect was handed over to the authorities. It is unclear whether he was armed during the attack. He was traveling with his wife and two children at the time.

In a statement, Volaris CEO Enrique Beltranena said, “Today we faced an exceptional situation on Volaris flight 3041. A passenger tried to divert the aircraft to the United States. But thanks to the professionalism and rapid response of our crew, security protocols were activated, and the flight was diverted to Guadalajara.”

According to the Mexican Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), the suspect claimed that one of his family members had been kidnapped and that he received death threats warning him not to travel to Tijuana. However, the airline confirmed that all passengers, crew members, and the aircraft were safe.

After the plane was grounded and the suspect was taken into custody, the flight continued on its way to Tijuana without further issues.

Volaris also expressed regret for the inconvenience caused by the incident and reassured passengers that safety remained the airline’s top priority.