United Is Latest to Fall Victim to 'Unruly Passenger'

A flight from Chicago to Minneapolis made an unplanned stop in Madison, Wisconsin, on Friday night after a passenger allegedly tried repeatedly to get into the cockpit, according to air traffic control audio. Per NBC News, United Airlines Flight 2005 diverted to Dane County Regional Airport "to address a security concern with an unruly passenger," the airline said, adding that the plane landed safely and no injuries were reported among the 147 passengers and six crew members. The FBI said it was notified of the diversion, and its Madison office responded, along with local law enforcement.

A Dane County Sheriff's Office official confirmed that the plane had asked for assistance. "A subject was detained by the ... sheriff's office and afterwards passengers resumed their flight," an FBI spokesperson said. In audio obtained by NBC, a crew member says the passenger was never handcuffed but was "finally" brought under control after repeated attempts to "breach the cockpit," then seated between law enforcement officers. The UK's Metro reports that the man was allegedly "ranting in Russian," and that crew used the emergency "squawk code" 7500, which suggests a hijacking. The flight later continued on to Minneapolis, arriving early Saturday, per FlightAware.