San Francisco flight co-pilot arrested after landing
Share and Follow


Video of the incident appears to show plainclothes law enforcement officers walking out of the cockpit with badges displayed.

WASHINGTON — A flight to San Francisco was disrupted Sunday when law enforcement officials reportedly boarded the plane as soon as it touched down to arrest one of the aircraft’s pilots. 

Multiple outlets reported about the incident on board a domestic Delta flight, which was first detailed by the San Francisco Chronicle. 

The pilot, whose identity wasn’t immediately released, was arrested on charges relating to child sexual abuse material, an official with the Department of Homeland Security said Monday.

According to the Chronicle, a group of federal agents suddenly boarded the plane after it landed and stormed the cockpit. 

“A group of people with badges, guns, and different agency vests/markings were pushing their way up through the aisle to the cockpit,” a passenger wrote in an email to The Chronicle.

A witness told ABC7, a San Francisco-based TV station, that at least 10 agents boarded just as passengers were beginning to unload their bags. 

“I don’t know if this person was disappearing before our eyes, if there had been a crime committed, or what exactly was happening,” the witness, who asked not to be identified by her full name, said. 

The woman told ABC7 that everybody on board, including the remaining pilot, was confused by the sudden incident. 

“It was scary. It was traumatic to watch,” she said. “As soon as my husband picked me up from baggage claim, I jumped in the car and cried. Because who knows what’s happening to that poor person? Why that happened? What did we just see?”

The pilot who was arrested has not been publicly named, and its unclear which federal agencies were involved in the arrest. 

Video of the incident, posted by View From the Wing, an airplane-focused news outlet, appears to show plainclothes law enforcement officers walking out of the cockpit with badges displayed. 

Plainclothes officers conducting arrests has become a hallmark of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, under President Donald Trump. 

But in the video, a person appears to say, “this isn’t immigration.” 

The plane was flying into the San Francisco International Airport from Minneapolis when the arrest happened. It landed late, around 9:35 p.m. Pacific, after being delayed on approach because of heavy fog in the San Francisco area. 

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Hurricane Melissa strengthens to Category 5 as it nears Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa Intensifies to Category 5, Approaches Jamaica with Increased Force

Hurricane Melissa has escalated to a formidable Category 5 storm as it…
Pittsburgh SWAT officers break silence in film, 7 years after Tree of Life Synagogue massacre

Pittsburgh SWAT Officers Share Their Story in New Documentary, Seven Years After Tree of Life Synagogue Tragedy

Seven years after the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history, a new…
‘Gilmore Girls’ star Sally Struthers reveals hilarious unscripted moment that made it onscreen

Unscripted Comedy Gold: Sally Struthers Shares Iconic ‘Gilmore Girls’ Moment That Captivated Fans

She truly gave it her all. In a delightful twist, Sally Struthers,…
Madwoman who stabbed stranger's son, 3, to death gets maximum sentence

Justice Served: Woman Receives Maximum Sentence for Tragic Stabbing of 3-Year-Old Boy

A woman has been sentenced to life imprisonment for fatally stabbing a…
Jeffries endorses Mamdani in New York City mayor's race

Jeffries Backs Mamdani in New York City Mayoral Contest

On Friday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) officially endorsed Zohran Mamdani…
SNAP food aid shutdown: 2M in Illinois set to lose benefits this week amid federal government shutdown

Urgent Alert: 2 Million Illinois Residents Face SNAP Benefit Loss Amid Federal Shutdown

CHICAGO (WLS) — As the government shutdown continues with no clear resolution…
Trump administration posts notice that no federal food aid will go out Nov. 1

Trump Administration Announces Suspension of Federal Food Aid Starting November 1

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a critical update on its…
Milei scores historic win in Argentina midterms, tightens grip on Congress

Javier Milei Makes History with Landmark Victory in Argentina’s Midterm Elections, Strengthens Hold on Congress

Argentine President Javier Milei achieved a commanding triumph in Sunday’s midterm elections,…