Passenger arrested after trying to divert flight in Mexico to United States

(TIJUANA, MEXICO) — A 31-year-old man was arrested for allegedly trying to hijack a Mexican domestic commercial flight and reroute the aircraft to the U.S. Sunday morning, according to Mexican authorities and the airline, Volaris.

At some point after the flight took off this morning from León traveling to Tijuana, the Mexican man — identified by authorities only as Mario N — attacked a flight attendant and tried to storm the cockpit.

The plane was diverted to Guadalajara, where the Mexican National Guard arrested him.

It’s unclear the exact motive, but Mexico’s federal Department of Security said that airline personnel reported the man said that a close relative had been kidnapped and shortly before takeoff he received a death threat if he traveled to Tijuana.

The man was traveling with his wife and two children, Mexican authorities said.

Once the suspect was arrested in Guadalajara, the plane continued on to Tijuana without incident.

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