August 16, 2006

Crazy Vermont Woman Forces Plane to Boston

A United London to Washington, D.C. was diverted to Boston's Logan Airport because of a passenger behaving suspiciously due to claustrophobia. One passenger said she wasn't permitted to use the on-board lavatory by a flight attendent. She then pulled down her pants and was about to relieve herself anyway. That's when things got ugly. Flight 923 was diverted to Boston, and a fighter escort followed the plane in. In Boston the Vermont woman was arrested.

This wasn't a terrorist attack even though earlier reports said she carried a note about al Qaeda.

Passengers were forced to leave the plane and had their baggage laid out across the tarmac to be searched by dogs. After seven hours passengers were allowed back on the plane to finally arrive at Dulles Airport.

"Unruly Passenger Forces Emergency Landing in Boston" [via Mary Katherine Ham at Michelle Malkin's weblog]

"London Flight Diverted to Boston" [via Netscape]

UPDATE: A FBI spokesman listed what the woman was carrying on the plane:

The woman was carrying hand lotion, matches and a standard Phillips screwdriver, Marcinkiewicz said. Up to four books of matches and screwdrivers shorter than 7 inches are allowed on flights, according to the Transportation Security Administration. But under the tighter restrictions, hand lotion is not.

A federal law enforcement source said the woman was also carrying a note but would not divulge details of its contents. Marcinkiewicz would not say whether or not a note was found.