Passenger who said family member was kidnapped tried to divert domestic flight in Mexico to U.S.

A passenger on a domestic flight in Mexico tried to forcibly divert the plane to the United States on Sunday, Volaris Airlines reported in a statement.

The suspect, a 31-year-old Mexican national identified as Mario, reportedly assaulted a Volaris flight attendant and tried to make his way into the cockpit to divert the flight, according to a statement obtained by ABC7 from the Mexican Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection.

Airline personnel said the man told them that one of his family members was kidnapped and that he received death threats instructing him not to travel to Tijuana once the flight took off, the SSPC said

Volaris said the crew of flight 3041 from El Bajío to Tijuana managed to detain the passenger before the flight was diverted to Guadalajara, in central Mexico.

The flight was originally scheduled to fly to Tijuana from the Bajío International Airport in Leon.

“Volaris regrets the inconvenience that this situation caused. For Volaris, the safety of our passengers and crews is the highest priority,” the airline said in a statement published on the X social media platform.

“Today we faced an exceptional situation on Volaris flight 3041, which was covering the El Bajío–Tijuana route. A passenger tried to divert the aircraft to the United States, but thanks to the professionalism and rapid response of our crew, the established security protocols were activated and the flight was diverted to the Guadalajara airport,” Volaris CEO Enrique Beltranena said in a statement released to the public.

#VolarisInforma Sobre lo ocurrido durante el vuelo 3041 en la ruta Bajío - Tijuana, nuestra tripulación actuó de acuerdo con los procedimientos de seguridad establecidos y conforme a protocolo. pic.twitter.com/rYRa8TleTR

— Volaris (@viajaVolaris) December 8, 2024

According to the Border Report, the man who subdued the passenger was named Jesus, who said the man tried to open the door to the jet in a panic because someone’s life was in danger.

“A short time into the flight is when it happened,” Jesus said. “His intention was for the flight to land in San Diego.”

Another passenger, Gerardo Gonzalez, said the man threatened a flight attendant’s by pressing a pen neck against her neck and threatened to open the door and jump to his death and take the flight attendant with him if the pilot did not change course.

“He grabbed the handle and actually managed to crack the door open,” Gonzalez said. “There were people screaming, crying, pleading with the man not to do it.”

Gonzalez said the incident was an “act of terrorism.”

“If he had opened that door, it would’ve killed all of us.”

That’s the moment, according to the Border Report that Jesus made his move and subdued the man.

“I talked to him calmly, reasoned with him, told him to think about his wife and children and the others,” said Jesus. “His life had been threatened, that’s why he wanted to land outside of Mexico.”

“Luckily, I was able to convince him,” Jesus said to a group of reporters who interviewed him outside Tijuana’s airport.

Once the flight landed, the suspect was handed over to Mexican National Guardsmen who were already alerted and waiting at the airport.

The 31-year old Mexican national was reportedly traveling with his wife and two children who were permitted to remain on the flight to Tijuana, authorities said.

“All passengers, crew and aircraft are safe. Volaris regrets the inconvenience this situation has caused. For Volaris, the safety of our passengers and crew is a top priority,” the airline said in a statement.

The airline said that local authorities were working with the airline to ensure the passenger would face “the full weight of the law,” an Associated Press report said.