The man accused of threatening to bomb a United Airlines flight bound for Louisiana before attempting to reach the cockpit has been identified.
Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, 34, was arrested Monday night after allegedly telling people he would blow up United Flight 2174 while it was en route to New Orleans.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Gomez-Alberto, a Honduran national who was in the country illegally, allegedly tried to storm the cockpit, triggering a hijacking alert.
“Americans should NEVER have to face threats like this, especially from an illegal alien who should have been out of our country in the first place,” the agency said in a statement.
ICE said Gomez-Alberto had already been removed from the United States twice before Monday’s incident.
Officials told the New York Post that he was deported from Texas in September 2011 and from New Mexico in October 2014.
According to the outlet, the Department of Homeland Security said Gomez-Alberto reentered the US for a third time in 2019 near the California border town of San Ysidro. He was arrested again, but a judge released him from ICE custody in January 2020 while he awaited removal proceedings.
DHS told the Post that he had previously faced accusations including a felony bomb threat, felony terroristic threats under state law and disorderly conduct.
Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, 34, was arrested Monday night after allegedly threatening to bomb United Flight 2174 as it traveled toward New Orleans
ICE said Gomez-Alberto, a Honduran national who was in the US illegally, allegedly tried to enter the cockpit, prompting a hijacking alert
Flight UA2174 departed Newark International Airport at 9:27 p.m. EST Monday and arrived at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport at 11:16 p.m. CST.
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During the flight, the pilots issued a 7500 transponder code, which indicates a hijacking situation. Aviation content creator Aaron Rheins said the aircraft was also reported to have a Level 4 alert, signifying an attempted or actual cockpit breach.
According to air traffic control audio reviewed by Rheins, Gomez-Alberto, who reportedly spoke “no English,” allegedly said during the flight that he had a bomb inside a backpack. That claim prompted the alert.
The air traffic control recording also indicated that the disruptive passenger “changed into all black before he started trying to reach the cockpit.”
Following the alarming incident, he was moved to the rear of the plane and seated with members of the crew until the aircraft landed safely.
United Airlines confirmed the incident to Our News Outlet and said law enforcement officers met the plane when it arrived.
A spokesperson for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office told Our News Outlet on Tuesday that the passenger was arrested after the incident.
The remaining passengers were safely escorted from the aircraft and taken to the terminal, the sheriff’s office said.
Gomez-Alberto, who reportedly spoke “no English,” allegedly claimed during the flight that a backpack contained a bomb, triggering the alert
The man, who was later identified as Gomez-Alberto, was taken into custody without incident and booked at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center on charges of communicating false information about planned arson and terrorizing, the department said.
Authorities told the Post that Gomez-Alberto is being held without bail at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center.
The Boeing 737 MAX 9 was carrying 49 passengers and six crew members, according to a United Airlines spokesperson.
