A Delta Airlines flight ended with more than just a routine landing Saturday night after the co-pilot was arrested immediately upon arrival at San Francisco International Airport. The flight, which departed Minneapolis, touched down safely around 9:30 p.m., but just moments after pulling into the gate, passengers found themselves at the centre of a shocking scene.
According to witnesses, a group of federal agents, reportedly about ten in total, boarded Delta Flight 2809 with urgency. They pushed through the aisle and headed straight for the cockpit.
According to a witness, passengers had only just begun gathering their bags from the overhead compartments when the agents, some wearing badges linked to the Department of Homeland Security, stormed the front of the aircraft.
“They barged through and stormed the cockpit,” said one passenger, who identified herself only as Sarah. “They removed the co-pilot, cuffed him, presumably arrested him, and brought him back down the aisle to deplane.” She described the moment as unsettling and traumatic, with even the flight crew appearing confused by what was happening.
The co-pilot, whose name has not been officially released, was taken into custody based on an arrest warrant issued by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office. The co-pilot bail is has been set at $5 million, as he is accused of possessing child sexual abuse material. According to sources cited by Fox News, the man had been under federal investigation. Another team of federal agents later boarded the aircraft to retrieve the suspect’s belongings from the cockpit.
According to ABC7, Delta Airlines declined to comment directly on the arrest, referring all enquiries to law enforcement. Similarly, the Department of Homeland Security directed questions to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which has not yet issued a public statement.
Footage shows the agents aboard the plane, leaving the cockpit. The investigation remains ongoing.
