Live Feeds
● LIVE Updated 55m ago · 12 sources tracked

‘Hijack the aircraft’: ATC calls reveal reason flight returned to Las Vegas

A United Airlines flight bound for New Jersey was forced to return to Las Vegas after a flight attendant spotted a passenger texting about hijacking the aircraft. United Airlines Flight 1681 turned back approximately 10 minutes after takeoff on Saturday night following the in-flight security threat. Law enforcement detained a man at Harry Reid Airport in connection with the incident, which also involved a text message threatening to crash a specific row. A major airline delayed 150 passengers overnight while authorities investigated the security scare and conducted emergency procedures.

🎙️

Listen to Live Briefing

Real-time synthesized voice briefing · Live Feeds Desk

⏱ ~3 min
Speed:
RSS Source map (12)
⚡ Key Developments & Real-Time Context
Text size:
  • ✓ United Airlines Flight 1681 from Las Vegas to New Jersey turned back Saturday after a flight attendant saw a passenger texting about hijacking the plane.
  • ✓ A man was arrested at Harry Reid Airport after an alleged text threat to hijack a United jet.
  • ✓ Police detained a man accused of making threats of terrorism on a flight out of Las Vegas.
  • ✓ A major airline delayed 150 passengers overnight following a serious in-flight threat.
🛡️ Source Corroboration: 12 independent reporting domains (95% confidence) ⏱ Read time: ~2 min

What changed

Air traffic control audio was released revealing the specific hijack threat that prompted the aircraft's return to Las Vegas.

Live updates

  1. ATC Calls Reveal Hijack Threat Behind Las Vegas Flight Return

    A United Airlines flight bound for New Jersey was forced to return to Las Vegas after a flight attendant spotted a passenger texting about hijacking the aircraft. United Airlines Flight 1681 turned back approximately 10 minutes after takeoff on Saturday night following the in-flight security threat. Law enforcement detained a man at Harry Reid Airport in connection with the incident, which also involved a text message threatening to crash a specific row. A major airline delayed 150 passengers overnight while authorities investigated the security scare and conducted emergency procedures.

    Why it matters

    In-flight security threats trigger immediate emergency protocols, forcing commercial airliners to reverse course and land at the nearest available departure hub. The incident caused significant travel disruption for passengers aboard the New Jersey-bound aircraft, leading to mandatory overnight delays. Law enforcement and airport security units routinely respond to such distress calls with immediate detainment and detailed investigations.

    What is confirmed

    • United Airlines Flight 1681 from Las Vegas to New Jersey turned back Saturday after a flight attendant saw a passenger texting about hijacking the plane.
    • A man was arrested at Harry Reid Airport after an alleged text threat to hijack a United jet.
    • Police detained a man accused of making threats of terrorism on a flight out of Las Vegas.
    • A major airline delayed 150 passengers overnight following a serious in-flight threat.

    Still unconfirmed

    • The passenger allegedly sent a text message stating to crash ur row only.

    What to watch next

    • Formal charges filed against the detained passenger by federal or local prosecutors
    • Additional details from the Las Vegas Metro Police Department investigation
    Sources used for this update (12)
    1. Fox News — Major airline delays 150 passengers overnight following serious in-flight threat
    2. KSNV — Man arrested at Harry Reid Airport after alleged text threat to hijack United jet
    3. ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos — Video Emergency landing after hijack scare on plane
    4. NBC New York — United flight turned around after report of passenger making a terroristic threat
    5. KLAS 8 News Now — ‘Hijack the aircraft’: ATC calls reveal reason flight returned to Las Vegas
    6. FOX5 Vegas — Police detain man accused of making threats of terrorism on flight out of Las Vegas
    7. 6abc Philadelphia — 'Crash ur row only': United flight bound for Newark turned around after passenger allegedly said he'd 'hijack' plane
    8. nypost.com — United flight returns to Las Vegas after apparent hijacking ...
    9. www.visaverge.com — United Flight 1681 Returns to Vegas After Hijacking Message
    10. www.ladbible.com — Plane forced to turn around after flight attendant sees horrifying text on passenger's phone
    11. www.yahoo.com — 'Hijack the aircraft': ATC calls reveal reason flight ... - Yahoo
    12. hoodline.com — United Flight 1681 Returns to Las Vegas Over Hijack Text
    confidence 95%
📊

Community Sentiment: How do you assess this situation?

Voice your perspective · Real-time aggregated sentiment from the Live Feeds community