A 31-year-old man was arrested after attempting to redirect a domestic flight from Mexico to the United States (US), forcing an emergency landing.

On Sunday, the Airbus A320, operated by Volaris, departed Leon, Guanajuato, at 7:17 am local time, and was en route to Tijuana in northwestern Mexico.

Approximately 45 minutes into the journey, the aircraft made an emergency landing at Guadalajara International Airport after the man attempted to force the flight to divert.

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According to a statement from the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection, “A subject assaulted a flight attendant and attempted to enter the cockpit to divert the flight to the United States.”

The suspect, who was travelling with family, claimed a close relative had been kidnapped and threatened with death if he continued to Tijuana.

Crew members subdued the man and issued an emergency alert, prompting the unscheduled landing in Guadalajara. Details regarding the total number of passengers aboard were not disclosed.

After the suspect’s arrest at Guadalajara, the flight resumed its journey to Tijuana without further incident.

Guanajuato, the flight’s point of origin, is one of the regions most affected by drug cartel violence in Mexico, which often includes crimes such as extortion and kidnapping.