United Airlines declared an emergency on board a plane on Saturday night after a crazed passenger attacked a flight attendant and attempted to storm the cockpit. Authorities reported that a 48-year-old man, whose name has not been disclosed, was arrested shortly after 6 p.m. following a violent outburst on United flight 1837 at Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey.
Audio Reveals Urgent Request for Emergency Vehicles
In audio recordings circulating after the incident, air traffic control was alerted by airport staff that the United pilot was urgently requesting emergency vehicles to meet the aircraft on the runway. 'The pilot wants to declare an emergency, it seems someone just attacked one of our flight attendants,' the airport staffer said. The air traffic controller initially responded calmly, stating they would 'move them in just a sec,' before the staffer interjected: 'Can we get emergency vehicles out here.'
'A gentleman just attacked one of the flight attendants and tried to open the forward main cabin door,' the staffer added. 'Oh my God,' the air traffic controller responded. The worker further explained that the attacker had 'tried to gain access to the flight deck,' prompting the pilot to cut in on the radio and demand police presence at the scene.
Pilot's Urgent Request for Law Enforcement
The pilot stated: 'We're asking for a gate ASAP, and we need to be met by law enforcement. We had someone try to pop our door open.' The flight, which originated from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, landed at Newark at approximately 5:21 p.m. Port Authority Police confirmed that the 48-year-old suspect was transported to a local hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. Officials noted that one person on the plane refused medical attention at the scene, and no other injuries were reported.
United Airlines released a statement saying: 'Local law enforcement met United flight 1837 upon its scheduled arrival at Newark International Airport to address an unruly passenger. We're grateful to our crew for their efforts to ensure the safety of fellow crew members and our customers.'
Incident Follows Spirit Airlines Shutdown
The incident at Newark occurred just hours after Spirit Airlines ceased all its operations, causing significant disruption in the US aviation industry and leaving passengers stranded across the nation. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributed Spirit's downfall to the Biden administration's decision to block a merger with JetBlue in 2024. 'Yet another mess the traveling public has to inherit thanks to the radical policies of Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg,' Duffy said. 'In blocking the JetBlue/Spirit merger in 2024, they turned their backs on the American consumer and our great aviation workforce.'
Duffy added: 'Regardless of how we got here, the Trump Administration is committed to taking care of you and your family when you fly. In a matter of hours, we've activated our airline partners to ensure passengers are not stranded, communities maintain route access, fares do not skyrocket, and Spirit's workforce is connected to new job opportunities.'
