DETROIT — A passenger on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit Metro Airport
created a disturbance by attempting to ignite a device onboard the
flight, injuring himself and several other passengers, according to Delta Airlines.
The passenger was subdued, and officials are investigating at Metro Airport.
FBI spokeswoman Sandra Berchtold confirmed Friday that agents are at Detroit Metro Airport, where the flight from Amsterdam landed.
The Associated Press reported that a White House official called the incident an attempted act of terrorism.
One passenger from the flight was taken to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, hospital spokeswoman Tracy Justice said. She would not say what the injuries were.
The Northwest plane, an Airbus 330, landed around noon Detroit time, CNN reported, and was carrying 278 passengers.
A Michigan man who witnessed the event said he’s proud of how passengers reacted.
Syed Jafry of Holland, Mich., a U.S. citizen who had flown from the United Arab Emirates, said after emerging from the airport that people ran out of their seats to tackle the man.
Jafry was sitting in the 16th row when he heard “a
pop and saw some smoke and fire.” Then, he said, “a young man behind me
jumped on him.”
Jafry said there was a little bit of commotion for
about 10 to 15 minutes. The incident occurred during the plane’s
descent, he said.
He said the way passengers responded made him proud to be an American.
But passenger Richard Griffith of Pontiac, Mich., said he was unaware of the incident until departing the plane.
He said he was sitting in the back of the plane and did not “see or hear anything.”
His wife and daughter, who had been waiting for him at the airport since about 11:40 a.m., said they saw a person they believe to be the suspect being transported from the airport. Dawn Griffith said he was “young looking” and was handcuffed to a stretcher, with his hands bandaged.
Delta spokeswoman Susan Elliott said she could not release any information on the passenger’s gender, age or background.
Because Delta Airlines in Detroit did not handle security for the flight, Elliott said she could not answer how the items that were ignited got on the plane.
She said Delta Airlines has a hub in Amsterdam and this one was among several flights Friday.
