It was bound for Washington Dulles International but because of an unruly female passenger, the pilot declared an emergency. Fighter jets intercepted the plane and escorted it to Boston.
Check out Hot Air for the background.
From the The Boston Globe:
A United Airlines flight from London to Washington, D.C. was diverted to Logan International Airport after an unruly female passenger had to be restrained by passengers and was later arrested by State Police.
There were also reports that after searching the woman's carry-on luggage, authorities found "prohibited items," though federal officials are now denying those reports.George Naccara, federal security director for the Transportation Security Administration for Massachusetts' airport, said, "I don't know what she had on board with her, but we have been told she did not have a screwdriver, she did not have any liquids such as Vaseline, and any notebook she may have had, it did not contain an al-Qaida reference. There was speculation in the beginning of all those items, but those have been proven untrue."
The diversion of flight 923 was not terrorism-related though there was concern about the flight's security, officials said.
United spokesman Brandon Borrman said a female passenger was spotted engaging in some "suspicious" activity, but he could not immediately say what the activity was.
There is still contradictory reports that she had some forbidden items on board. From The Blotter:
The woman, a 47-year-old U.S. citizen and a resident of Vermont wearing a college sweatshirt and acting aggressively, was searched.
She had loose matches, literature in a foreign language that had been downloaded from a computer and printed and a partially open container of petroleum jelly. She did not have a screwdriver, contrary to previous media reports.A bottle of water she was carrying was marked with the airline logo and appears it may have been given to her once onboard. Earlier reports suggested she had slipped the bottle as well as the petroleum jelly through security in London. Police now say they are investigating to be certain it was obtained onboard. It remains unclear how the petroleum jelly got onboard.
Mary Katharine Ham, guest blogging for Michelle Malkin, notes that there is a lot more contradictory information including this:
Apparently the above denial that she was carrying banned items came from Phil Orlandella, spokesman for Boston's Logan International Airport. That's who Fox attributed it to, but Orlandella was also the source who originally said she had the items.
Ace is also following the story and offers his comments:
Now comes the lecturing and hectoring about "overreactions" and "anti-Muslim backlash."
Root causes, baby. We wouldn't overreact if you weren't always trying to murder us.You must understand the non-Islamic point of view.
Which is, basically: Stop trying to kill us.
Update: Massachussetts governor Mitt Romney held a press conference and confirmed that she did have some prohibited items.
Update II: A spokesman from United said that the female passenger engaged in suspicious behavior but didn't elaborate.
Permalink | E-mail This | Technorati Links | Sphere: Related Content | Digg this! | FARK It!
Filed under:
National Security
Comments (14)
It is time that the airline... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Burns | August 16, 2006 1:46 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It is time that the airlines and the security forces at airports considered the regular and peacefyl passenger and instigated a life ban on future air travel for ANY unruily passenger.
I travel frequently within the UK and frequently inconvenienced by drunks etc.
1. Posted by Burns | August 16, 2006 1:46 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 16, 2006 13:46
2. Posted by MyPetGloat | August 16, 2006 2:52 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Shorter Wizbang:
"Please let her be Muslim. Please let her be Muslim. Please let her be Muslim. Please let her be Muslim. ....
2. Posted by MyPetGloat | August 16, 2006 2:52 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 16, 2006 14:52
3. Posted by mantis | August 16, 2006 2:57 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
She had loose matches, literature in a foreign language that had been downloaded from a computer and printed
Holy shit, a foreign language! She must be a terrorist. No ordinary civilian carries literature in anything but English, dammit.
Let's not overreact, or anything.
3. Posted by mantis | August 16, 2006 2:57 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 16, 2006 14:57
4. Posted by Drew | August 16, 2006 3:02 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Air locks, install airlocks on all airliners and place the unruly passengers in them. Eject a few unrully passengers at 30,000+ feet and I am sure that the point will be made. Or issue the flight attendants TASERS or cattle prods. I guarantee zapping someone with 25,000 volts is going to get their attention. Imagine how polite the passengers would become if they knew the aircrew was authorized to use whatever means necessary to ensure a safe and pleasant flight.
Just place a disclaimer on the ticket stub and you are covered. " The carrier reserves the right to eject you from the aircraft at any point during the flight. This includes while at altitude if you are determined to be a danger to the aircraft , the occupants of the aircraft, or to anyone in the path of the aircraft"
4. Posted by Drew | August 16, 2006 3:02 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 16, 2006 15:02
5. Posted by Lee | August 16, 2006 3:15 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
You poor, terrorized neoconservatives. Like frightened children reacting to each shadow and sound...
5. Posted by Lee | August 16, 2006 3:15 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 16, 2006 15:15
6. Posted by MikeB | August 16, 2006 3:42 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Holy shit, a foreign language! She must be a terrorist. No ordinary civilian carries literature in anything but English, dammit.
Let's not overreact, or anything.
Holy shit, the story of what happened hasn't even come out.
Let's not make moronic, hastly judgements or anything... but I guess it wouldn't be fair to request that you stop posting.
6. Posted by MikeB | August 16, 2006 3:42 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 16, 2006 15:42
7. Posted by MikeB | August 16, 2006 3:44 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
...hastily judgments or anything...
7. Posted by MikeB | August 16, 2006 3:44 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 16, 2006 15:44
8. Posted by mantis | August 16, 2006 5:00 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The only judgement I made was on idiots jumping to conclusions based on imcomplete and/or false information.
Btw the story has come out. She got claustrophobic, acted out, and had to be restrained. There was no screwdriver, vaseline, Al Qaeda documents, or anything else of note besides some hand cream. There were plenty of conclusions jumped to, however, but not by me. But you can request whatever you wish.
Btw, even with your correction, "hastily judgements" still doesn't make sense.
8. Posted by mantis | August 16, 2006 5:00 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 16, 2006 17:00
9. Posted by Lee | August 16, 2006 5:07 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Don't let the facts get in the way! Engage! We republicans are bound to get more votes if when run around screaming "the sky is falling, the sky is falling..."
/sarcasm
9. Posted by Lee | August 16, 2006 5:07 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 16, 2006 17:07
10. Posted by Cousin Dave | August 16, 2006 5:14 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I see the unruly third-graders are out again. What's the matter with you, Lee, did Supernanny leave you on your own again?
10. Posted by Cousin Dave | August 16, 2006 5:14 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 16, 2006 17:14
11. Posted by Syntax | August 17, 2006 4:12 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hey...this didn't go the way we wanted! Lets just fall back on insults like we normally do. Does anybody even know if this woman was Arabic and/or Muslim like all the White-wing...oops, I mean Right-wing blogs made her out to be before the freakin plane even landed? Faux News Channel broke the story as three "suspicious" individuals approached the cockpit. Who's ass did they pull that BS out of? One woman from Vermont was suddenly a terrorist cell on board a doomed flight into Hell with a nuclear weapon on board powerul enough to destroy Heaven and kill God...don't forget to vote for Republicans! Vote for Republicans or YOU'LL DIE A HORRIBLE DEATH IN FLAMES, AGONY AND TOTAL DEGRADATION AND YOUR SOUL WILL BE BANISHED INTO THE INFERNO OF DAMNATION BY EVIL MONSTERS WHO WANT TO KILL YOU BECAUSE THEY ARE JEALOUS AND BITTER OVER YOUR FREEDOM OF BEING PATHETIC LITTLE BITCHES WHO ARE AFRAID OF YOUR OWN FUCKIN SHADOWS! DON'T YOU GET IT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD?!?!?!? REPUBLICANS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF YOUR SOUL AND THE ONLY THING THAT STANDS BETWEEN YOU AND THE ULTIMATE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION!!!!!!!!
uh.....no thanks. My blanket of freedom is just fine thank you. BE ANGRY AND AFRAID OF LIBERALS OR YOU'LL DIE!!!!!! What a bunch of chicken shit half-wits.
11. Posted by Syntax | August 17, 2006 4:12 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 17, 2006 04:12
12. Posted by Nahanni | August 17, 2006 6:48 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Turns out that the woman in question is some whackjob LLL Anti-American Islamofascist supporting Democrat "journalist" from Vermont. I'm guessing she was one who took the brown acid at Woodstock from the description of her behaviour. Hard to tell because it seems that most LLL's act that way.
Read the gory details at:
http://www.sweetness-light.com/archive/woman-on-diverted-plane-might-be-lefty-journalist
12. Posted by Nahanni | August 17, 2006 6:48 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 17, 2006 18:48
13. Posted by Nahanni | August 17, 2006 6:53 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Cousin Dave,
The best way to deal with a temper tantrum throwing five year old spoiled brat is to simply ignore him/her/it.
13. Posted by Nahanni | August 17, 2006 6:53 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 17, 2006 18:53
14. Posted by Syntax | August 18, 2006 2:28 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Oh gosh damn! She wasn't Muslim, she was a big bad Wibawal and we all know how much you're afwaid of the big bad wibawals.
Personally, I wouldn't call her a Liberal (or big bad wibawal in your terms) since its quite obvious this chick's cheese slid way off her cracker.
14. Posted by Syntax | August 18, 2006 2:28 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 18, 2006 02:28