American Airlines flight from New York to Paris was diverted to Boston after a passenger refused to cooperate with flight crew
NEW YORK, February 8, 2008 - An American Airlines flight from New York to Paris was diverted to Boston late Wednesday after a passenger refused to cooperate with flight crew, officials said.
Airline spokesman Tim Wagner said the flight carrying 136 passengers and at least seven crew made the unscheduled stop after the passenger became uncooperative around one hour into the transatlantic flight.
"This male passenger was reported as being non-compliant with flight attendant requests to sit down and remain seat-belted. He was walking back and forth in the aisle and appeared to be emotionally disturbed," Wagner said.
The plane stopped at Boston for just over an hour while the passenger was removed. The flight then continued to Paris, where it arrived two hours 45 minutes late, Wagner said.
According to Massachusetts state police, the passenger, named as French national Ansoumane Conde, was removed from the plane and transferred into the custody of immigration authorities.
A spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration arm of the Department of Homeland Security was not immediately available to explain why Conde had been detained.
Police spokesman Trooper Eric Benson said Conde was not arrested and would face no criminal charges from Massachusetts police, while Wagner played down media reports that Conde had struck a flight attendant.
"We don't have any record of that," he said.
