Jun 26, 2021 - Economy

Man attempts to breach plane cockpit, jumps out of aircraft

Oriana González

LAX — A United Express plane drives by the American Air Lines hub at Los Angeles International Airport in April 2021. Photo: DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images

A man attempted to breach the cockpit of a SkyWest Airlines flight late Friday at LAX as the plane was taxiing on the runway. After failing, he managed to open an emergency exit door and left via the inflatable slide, a local NBC affiliate reported.

The state of play: SkyWest officials said that no passengers suffered injuries. Following the incident, the plane returned to the gate area. The man was apprehended on the taxiway, he was treated for his injuries and taken to a hospital, per NBC.

The FBI is investigating the event as a possible hijacking attempt, CBS 8 notes.
The SkyWest flight was operating in a United Express jet.

What they’re saying: While the man tried to open the cockpit doors, the pilot asked air traffic control to “call law enforcement because we are going to head back to the gate,” per a recording obtained by ABC 7.

The pilot then said the man “may have blown one of our slides,” and added that the passenger had jumped out of the aircraft.

The big picture: The incident follows another security breach at LAX. On Thursday, a man was taken into police custody after driving a car onto the runway, leading to a police chase while planes were landing and taking off, according to CBS Los Angeles.

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Man attempts to breach plane cockpit, jumps out of aircraft

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