Passenger Claims to Have Bomb on United Flight From Newark to New Orleans; Plane Lands Safely

In depth

On a United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, to New Orleans, a passenger who claimed he had a bomb tried to reach the cockpit. Following the threat, the pilots declared a hijacking alert, and the plane, carrying 46 passengers and six crew members, landed safely in New Orleans.

The suspect, Roni Alexander Gomez-Alberto, is a citizen of Honduras. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, he entered the United States illegally three times and was deported from it twice. After the landing he was arrested, and emergency forces were dispatched to the airport. The passengers were evacuated with no casualties.

Radio communication recordings that were published describe the moments of drama on the flight. Since the landing, it has been revealed that the suspect was previously released from the custody of the authorities.