According to several sources, a Delta Airlines copilot was detained in spectacular fashion seconds following the landing of Flight 2809 at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday night, July 26.
Around 9:35 p.m., the Minneapolis-based aircraft made its landing. The unidentified copilot was taken into custody by about ten law enforcement personnel who boarded the aircraft and entered the cockpit within minutes, some of whom were thought to be from the Department of Homeland Security.
The sudden and fast action surprised the passengers on board. The officers stormed the cockpit and led the copilot out of the aircraft in handcuffs, according to one witness who spoke to View from the Wing. Another traveler, who wished to remain anonymous, told ABC7News that witnessing the event was distressing.
She remembered how they stormed into the cockpit, dragged the copilot down the aisle, cuffed him, and removed him. Everyone on board was taken aback and perplexed.
The pilot’s identity and the reason for the arrest have not been made public by authorities.
According to a representative for San Francisco’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the organization helped local law enforcement carry out an arrest order. According to the spokeswoman, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office is currently conducting a local inquiry into this matter.
Online video footage seemed to show both uniformed air marshals and plainclothes officers taking part in the operation.
The passengers had little answers and were left feeling unsettled. Sarah stated, “There was just a big question mark.” I had no idea whether a crime had been committed or if something more serious was on the horizon. I cried as soon as I stepped off the airport and into the automobile.
Additional information was not supplied by the Transportation Security Administration or the Department of Homeland Security. Delta Airlines has refrained from commenting at this time, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California has not yet released a statement.
