United Flight Hijack Threat Was a Drunken Joke, Man Says

A New Jersey man accused of texting a threat to hijack a United Airlines flight over the weekend told investigators he had been drinking and characterized the message as poorly worded banter with a coworker, according to an arrest report.

Dante Milne, 25, allegedly sent the message Saturday while traveling aboard United Flight 1681, a Boeing 737 carrying 150 passengers and six crew members from Las Vegas to Newark, New Jersey.

“I’m gonna hijack this b—- and crash ur row only,” Milne allegedly wrote, according to the arrest report cited by FOX5 Vegas.

A flight attendant reportedly saw the message shortly after takeoff and alerted the captain. The pilot then secured the cockpit and turned the aircraft around, landing at Harry Reid International Airport at about 11:05 p.m.

United Airlines previously told News Media that the flight remained delayed overnight after the crew reached its permitted working hours. It departed for Newark the following morning.

Milne was later charged with one count of making threats or conveying false information concerning an act of terrorism.

The arrest report states that Milne told investigators he had consumed a beer and several shots at an airport bar before boarding the plane.

He said he fell asleep during the flight and woke up to find that the aircraft was heading back to Las Vegas.

Milne initially confirmed that he had texted someone aboard the plane but said he could not recall what he had written. When investigators asked specifically about the alleged hijacking threat, he described it as poorly worded “banter between coworkers,” according to the arrest report.

He reportedly told investigators that he had never intended to seize control of the aircraft and apologized for the incident.

According to the report, Milne was traveling home after spending three days in Las Vegas attending an apprenticeship training program focused on underwater welding.

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Air traffic control audio obtained by ATC.com and previously reported by Fox News captured the pilot explaining the situation as the plane returned to Las Vegas. The pilot indicated that the passenger suspected of sending the threat apparently did not realize the aircraft had turned around because of his message.

“The passenger does not know anything is going on,” the pilot told air traffic controllers. “The flight attendant saw him texting that he was going to hijack the aircraft and called me and we went lockdown. … No restraint, passenger is compliant because he’s unaware.”

Milne was released after posting $10,000 bail. His attorney told a judge Tuesday that Milne planned to plead not guilty, according to KLAS-TV.

He is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 5.

Following the incident, United Airlines said the flight returned to Las Vegas because of a “potential security concern.”

“United Flight 1681 from Las Vegas to Newark on Saturday, Oct. 24, safely returned to Las Vegas to address a potential security concern,” United Airlines previously told News Media.

“The flight was delayed overnight due to crew timeout, and departed for Newark this morning.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also confirmed that the flight’s crew reported a “passenger disturbance” and that the incident remained under investigation.