A King County judge on Monday agreed to set bail for a passenger accused of forcing an American Airlines flight to make an emergency landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after he allegedly threatened to kill all other passengers onboard, officials said.
Michael Ney Berry, 30, of Kirkland, was being held in lieu of a $100,000 bond at the King County jail, where he was charged with felony assaults.
Alaska Airlines Flight 422 left from Sea-Tac Airport at 11:10 p.m. en route to Chicago O’Hare, officials with the airline say.
Officials with the Port of Seattle say the incident on Alaska Airlines Flight 422 left from sea-Tac Airport at 11:10 p.m en route to Chicago O’Hare when the incident occurred approximately 20 minutes after departure, causing the plane to return to Seattle and land.
Alaska Airlines says the man became “extremely belligerent and physically aggressive during the ascent.” A spokesperson with the airline says the man was quickly subdued by the flight crew and two able-bodied passengers including a law enforcement officer who happened to be on the flight.
Video of the incident shows the man yelling, “I’m going to kill everybody on this plane. Die in the name of Jesus!”
In the video, two passengers are seen quickly taking the man down and telling other passengers it is going to be okay.
A passenger on the plane said that one of the men who helped is actually a police officer in Chicago. The passenger says both men should be considered heroes.
After the passengers had the man secured, a flight attendant announced over the loud speaker that the plane was going to land at the nearest airport, adding “we have everything under control.”
Alaska Airlines says the flight was cancelled and all guests were booked on the next available flight to Chicago.
source:komonews.com