Flight Declares Emergency at La Guardia Airport Due to ‘Passenger Behavior’

A Republic Airways flight was forced to land at La Guardia Airport on Saturday afternoon after declaring an emergency following unspecified “passenger behavior.” In what was described as a “security incident” by Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Steve Kulm, the flight out of Indianapolis—operating as American 4817—landed “in response to passenger behavior near the end of the flight,” said Republic Airways spokesman Jon Austin. “Our crew responded to the situation in accordance with our procedures and with professionalism and a concern for the safety of all aboard. Law enforcement and first responders met the aircraft, and the passenger involved in the incident has been taken into custody,” he said. The person taken into custody’s identity has not been revealed, but video posted on social media shows emergency responders surrounding a man on his stomach as evacuated passengers look on.