A United Airlines flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Guatemala City was forced to divert on Thursday evening after an unruly passenger allegedly attempted to open an aircraft door while the plane was cruising at 36,000 feet.
Flight UA1551, operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8 (registration N37278) carrying 145 passengers and six crew members, made an emergency landing at Washington Dulles International Airport at 20:38.
According to air traffic control communications, the pilot reported that the passenger attempted to open door 2L and also assaulted another passenger during the incident. The crew reported no known injuries on board.
United Airlines said law enforcement officers met the aircraft upon arrival in Washington to handle the situation. The airline cancelled the original flight and arranged a replacement departure the following morning, while affected passengers were provided with overnight accommodation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed that agents responded to the incident at Dulles Airport but did not release further details.