A Californian man has been arrested for creating nuisance on a Frontier Airlines flight heading to San Francisco from California. 30-year-old Charles Angel Salva faces 20 years in federal prison if convicted as he assaulted the crew and threatened to kill everyone on the flight — though initially other passengers thought he was just feeling claustrophobic and wanted to get off the plane.The incident took place early this month.
According to federal prosecutors, Silva tampered with the oxygen masks in the overhead compartment in one of the rows. A witness said Salva appeared out of breath and seemed like he wanted to get off the plane. Salva pulled the oxygen masks down and got his hand stuck when a fellow passenger even helped him.
Soon after that, Salva started hurling abuses at the flight attendant. “He said ‘this airplane is going down’, ‘we are all going to hell’,” the authorities said. Chaos broke out inside the plane as Salva grabbed at a fellow passenger and ran to the rear of the plane. The crew stopped him when Salva tried to choke a flight attendant leaving marks on her neck. Then Salva pushed another crew member and said he was going to kill everyone on the plane.
Finally, Salva was restrained by a seatbelt and in this process he kicked one attendant six times causing bruises and swelling. The flight was then diverted to Ontario as the crew did not feel safe.
Reports said the man was returning home from a weekend trip to Southern California with his 3-year-old daughter. The flight incident was not the strangest thing of the trip. Salva disappeared during the trip and then police found him at a liquor store covered in sewage.
Salva told investigators that he was upset that his plan to kill everyone on the plane had not workers. He told them that he had molested his own child and lost custody rights.
“Salva said that, during the flight, he thought everyone was trying to get him to admit his crimes, so he tried to pull the emergency flight button so the plane would crash,” the affidavit said.
“Salva said that he assaulted the flight attendants because he did not want anyone to know he was a pedophile,” the affidavit mentioned. “Salva said that he heard voices saying words that triggered thoughts of him being a pedophile.”
According to federal prosecutors, Silva tampered with the oxygen masks in the overhead compartment in one of the rows. A witness said Salva appeared out of breath and seemed like he wanted to get off the plane. Salva pulled the oxygen masks down and got his hand stuck when a fellow passenger even helped him.
Soon after that, Salva started hurling abuses at the flight attendant. “He said ‘this airplane is going down’, ‘we are all going to hell’,” the authorities said. Chaos broke out inside the plane as Salva grabbed at a fellow passenger and ran to the rear of the plane. The crew stopped him when Salva tried to choke a flight attendant leaving marks on her neck. Then Salva pushed another crew member and said he was going to kill everyone on the plane.
Finally, Salva was restrained by a seatbelt and in this process he kicked one attendant six times causing bruises and swelling. The flight was then diverted to Ontario as the crew did not feel safe.
Reports said the man was returning home from a weekend trip to Southern California with his 3-year-old daughter. The flight incident was not the strangest thing of the trip. Salva disappeared during the trip and then police found him at a liquor store covered in sewage.
Salva told investigators that he was upset that his plan to kill everyone on the plane had not workers. He told them that he had molested his own child and lost custody rights.
“Salva said that, during the flight, he thought everyone was trying to get him to admit his crimes, so he tried to pull the emergency flight button so the plane would crash,” the affidavit said.
“Salva said that he assaulted the flight attendants because he did not want anyone to know he was a pedophile,” the affidavit mentioned. “Salva said that he heard voices saying words that triggered thoughts of him being a pedophile.”
Source : Times of India
