AI Image
Man boards United Airlines flight in Las Vegas. 13 minutes later, his text message allegedly forces the pilots to turn the plane around
Yahoo • • business
Key Points:
- United Flight 1681 from Las Vegas to New Jersey returned to the airport shortly after takeoff when a crew member reported a passenger, Dante Milne, allegedly sending threatening messages about hijacking the plane.
- The flight crew locked down the cockpit and signaled an emergency 13 minutes after departure, but Milne was unaware of the situation and was not restrained to avoid escalation.
- The plane was initially too heavy to land safely, requiring pilots to burn off fuel before receiving clearance for landing; the flight landed 30 minutes after the emergency began.
- Milne was arrested on charges related to making a threat of terrorism but claimed he was intoxicated, joking with a coworker, and did not remember sending the messages; he was released on $10,000 bail.
- Milne pleaded not guilty via his attorney during a virtual hearing, with his next court date scheduled for January 5, 2027.
