Chilling audio of moment off-duty pilot who ‘tried to crash plane’ with 80 passengers on board is detained
Chilling audio reveals the moment air traffic control is warned that an off-duty pilot allegedly tried to shut down plane engines with more than 80 passengers on board.
Take a look below:
Suspect Joseph David Emerson - who was in the cockpit of the Alaska Airlines Flight 2059 flight - allegedly tried to crash the jet during a flight on Sunday evening (22 October).
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The 44-year-old has since been charged with 83 counts of attempted murder.
Emerson was sat behind the captain and the first-officer as the flight had departed from Everett, Washington and was en route to San Francisco, California when the incident unfolded.
The FBI and the Port of Portland Police Department are now investigating the incident, Alaska Airlines said.
Now, in chilling audio recorded by LiveATC.net, the pilot said to Seattle-area air traffic controllers: "We’ve got the guy that tried to shut the engines down out of the cockpit, and he doesn’t sound like he’s causing any issues in the back right now.
"I think he’s subdued. Other than that, we want law enforcement as soon as we get on the ground and are parked.”
A statement from Alaska Airlines reads: "All passengers on board were able to travel on a later flight.
"We are grateful for the professional handling of the situation by the Horizon flight crew and appreciate our guests' calm and patience throughout this event."
Elsewhere, the FBI said it 'can assure the traveling public there is no continuing threat related to this incident'.
Emerson also faces 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft, according to Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office booking records.
"We didn't know anything was happening until the flight attendant got on the loudspeaker and made an announcement that there was an emergency situation and the plane needed to land immediately," passenger Aubrey Gavello told ABC News.
"About 15 minutes later, she got back on and said that there was a medical emergency."
Gavello claimed she heard a flight attendant tell the suspect: "We're going to be fine, it's OK, we'll get you off the plane."
"So I really thought it was a serious medical emergency," she added.
Passenger Alex Wood claimed the pilot announced that 'there was a disturbance in the cockpit'.
"It was very professional, handled very calmly, and we didn't really know what was going on until we landed," they said.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg also said in a statement: "I am grateful for the professional flight crew and air traffic controllers who stepped up to guide this plane safely to Portland. FAA supports law enforcement in their response and will be focused on any safety considerations for the future that emerge from investigations."
Anish Vij