Read more: Local, State, Breaking, Passenger, Plane Diverted, Colorado Springs Airport, Airtran
Two F-16 fighters under the direction of NORAD escorted the AirTran flight 39 down to the Colorado Springs Airport.
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AirTran Airways has released the following statement in regards to the incident on flight 39. The FBI is on the scene and is overseeing the law enforcement response.
AirTran Airways Statement on AirTran Flight 39
At approximately 1:30 Eastern Standard Time (EST) AirTran Airways flight 39, a Boeing 737-700 aircraft with scheduled service from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to San Francisco International Airport diverted to Colorado Springs, Colo., because of a disruptive passenger onboard.
The aircraft was carrying 132 passengers and five Crew Members and landed safely in Colorado Springs at approximately 1:55 EST. It taxied to a remote location of the airport.
Law enforcement officials have detained the individual in question and the plane has been repositioned to a gate where it was searched by canine teams with negative results.
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Colorado Springs Police are on scene at an incident at the Colorado Springs Airport.
Passengers sent us this picture and say a man onboard AirTran flight 39 from Atlanta to San Francisco was taken into custody after the plane was diverted to Colorado Springs.
Airport officials say the AirTran flight had 132 passengers onboard. They say the suspect was intoxicated and had locked himself in a bathroom and was refusing to come out. CSPD met the flight after it landed and took the man off board.
Officials say there was no security threat to the airport and do not believe this was an act of terrorism.
We have a crew on scene and will bring you the story tonight at 6:30pm.
