A co-pilot with Delta Air Lines was reportedly arrested by federal agents at San Francisco international airport over the weekend on charges related to child sexual abuse materials, according to a senior official with the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and multiple media reports.
The arrest reportedly took place shortly after the flight – Delta Flight 2809 from Minnesota – landed at the California airport at about 9.35pm on Saturday, as the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Several passengers who were on the plane told various media outlets that about 10 law enforcement officers, including agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), boarded the plane before passengers were let off. The agents reportedly arrested and removed one of the co-pilots from the plane.
One passenger told the Chronicle that “a group of people with badges, guns, and different agency vests/markings were pushing their way up through the aisle to the cockpit”.
She said the officers “stormed the cockpit, cuffed the co-pilot, arrested him, walked him down the aisle, and ushered him off the plane through the cabin doors located between first [class] and coach” class.
The same witness said that a second group of officers returned to the aircraft shortly after to retrieve the co-pilot’s belongings.
The pilot has not yet been publicly identified.
In a statement to the Guardian on Monday, a senior DHS official confirmed that HSI agents had arrested the pilot in question on charges pertaining to child sexual abuse materials.
A DHS spokesperson also told the Chronicle on Sunday that the agency assisted local authorities in executing an arrest warrant.
Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin on Sunday cited a senior federal source who said that the co-pilot had been taken into custody by HSI on allegations involving child sexual abuse materials.
In a statement on Monday afternoon, Delta Air Lines said: “Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful conduct and will fully cooperate with law enforcement. We are appalled by reports of the charges related to the arrest and the individual in question has been suspended pending an investigation.”
Another passenger who was on the plane spoke with the travel outlet View from the Wing. They said that the officers “stormed to the front” of the aircraft and “grabbed/arrested” the co-pilot.
The passenger added that the remaining pilot appeared to have “no idea what just happened”.
The outlet also published video footage showing agents leaving the cockpit.
