A passenger aboard a domestic Mexican flight attempted to hijack the plane and steer it toward the United States on Sunday morning.

The suspect, identified only as Mario, a 31-year-old Mexican national, reportedly attacked a flight attendant and tried to force his way into the cockpit. The incident occurred on Volaris Flight 3041, which was traveling from El Bajío Airport in León to Tijuana.

In a statement, Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) confirmed the suspect’s actions and credited the flight crew with intervening quickly to restrain him. The pilot issued an alert code and diverted the flight, safely landing at Guadalajara International Airport in central Mexico.

According to the airline, Mario claimed during the flight that a family member had been kidnapped and that he had received death threats warning him not to travel to Tijuana. Authorities have not confirmed if he was armed. Mario was traveling with his wife and two children at the time.

Upon landing, the suspect was handed over to law enforcement.

Volaris CEO Enrique Beltranena praised the professionalism of the crew. “Thanks to the rapid response of our crew, established security protocols were activated, and the flight was diverted to the Guadalajara airport,” he said in a statement.

“All passengers, crew, and the aircraft are safe,” Volaris assured in a statement, emphasizing that safety is their top priority. After the suspect was removed, the flight continued to Tijuana without further incident.

Volaris announced it would take legal action against the suspect to ensure accountability under the law and apologized to passengers for the inconvenience caused by the disruption.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)