CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A 23-year-old man from Nebraska disrupted a Delta flight Thursday by wrestling with a flight attendant and threatening to kill the crew member, prompting an emergency landing in Cedar Rapids,
ABC News reported
.
The diversion came after the passenger attempted to open the plane’s emergency exit mid-flight, according to ABC News. The incident began shortly after the flight departed from Omaha around 5:30 p.m. and was en route to Detroit.
The passenger, identified as Mario Nikprelaj, physically shoved the attendant and threatened to kill him as fellow crew and passengers intervened,
CNN reported
.
The network also reported Nikprelaj is also accused of carrying more than 40 Xanax pills, violating drug and tax-stamp laws.
Nikprelaj was taken into custody when the plane landed and faces several charges, including interference with flight crew, assault, first-degree harassment, possession of prescription drugs without proper stamps and disorderly conduct,
People Magazine reported
.
AP said SkyWest Airlines, operating the flight for Delta Connection, issued a statement reaffirming its zero-tolerance policy for unruly behavior, emphasizing crew and passenger safety as top priorities.
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