Man Charged Over Alleged Hijack Text on United Flight 1681 Says It Was Drunken Banter

3.0 · 5d ago · US

The Facts

  • United Airlines Flight 1681, bound for Newark, returned to Las Vegas shortly after departing Harry Reid International Airport on the night of Saturday, Oct. 24. ✓2 · Fox News, CBS News
  • The pilot told air traffic controllers a flight attendant saw a passenger texting that he planned to hijack the aircraft, and that the passenger was compliant and unaware of the situation. ✓2 · CBS News, Fox News
  • Dante Milne, 25, of New Jersey, was charged with one count of making threats or conveying false information concerning an act of terrorism over a text allegedly sent aboard United Airlines Flight 1681. Fox News only
  • The message allegedly read: "I'm gonna hijack this b---- and crash ur row only," according to an arrest report cited by FOX5 Vegas. Fox News only
  • A flight attendant allegedly spotted the text shortly after departure and alerted the captain, who secured the cockpit and diverted the plane. Fox News only
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  • According to the arrest report, Milne told investigators he had a beer and several shots at an airport bar before boarding, fell asleep, and woke as the plane returned to Las Vegas. Fox News only
  • Milne initially said he could not remember the messages, then described the hijack text as poorly worded "banter between coworkers"; he reportedly said he never intended to take control of the plane and apologized. Fox News only
  • Milne told detectives he was returning from a three-day apprenticeship training program in underwater welding in Las Vegas. Fox News only
  • Milne was released on $10,000 bail, and his attorney told a judge Tuesday he intends to plead not guilty, according to KLAS-TV. Fox News only
  • United said the flight returned to Las Vegas to address a potential security concern. Fox News only
  • The Boeing 737, carrying 150 passengers and six crew, landed in Las Vegas at about 11:05 p.m. with no reported injuries. Fox News only
  • The flight was delayed overnight because the crew reached its permitted working hours, and it departed for Newark the next morning. Fox News only
  • The FAA confirmed the crew reported a passenger disturbance and said the incident remains under investigation. Fox News only

Context

A United Airlines Boeing 737 headed from Las Vegas to Newark returned to Harry Reid International Airport on Oct. 24 after a flight attendant allegedly saw a passenger text a threat to hijack the aircraft.

Dante Milne, 25, was charged with making threats or conveying false information concerning an act of terrorism. According to an arrest report, he told investigators he had been drinking and that the message was poorly worded banter with a coworker. His attorney said he intends to plead not guilty.

How the Agent Panel Scored This

Independent AI personas each scored importance 1–10; the story's score is a trimmed mean (highest and lowest votes dropped). Vote spread: 1.

4 Policy Expert A single passenger was charged with a threat-related offense after a flight diverted back to Las Vegas with no injuries, a localized criminal case of limited broader impact.
3 Global Affairs Analyst A single passenger was charged over an alleged hijack text that caused a diversion with no injuries, a limited-impact local criminal case rather than a broad geopolitical event.
3 Critical Reader A single passenger was charged over an alleged threat text that caused a diversion with no injuries, a limited-impact local criminal case with the suspect's defense now public.
3 Science & Tech Analyst This is a local criminal case about a single passenger's alleged drunken threat text that caused a diversion with no injuries, a limited-impact story of minor national interest.
3 Informed Citizen A single passenger's drunken threatening text led to a precautionary diversion with no injuries, a local criminal charge, and no lasting impact on ordinary travelers, so it is minor news with limited impact.
3 News Editor A single passenger was charged over an alleged threatening text that caused a diversion with no injuries, a limited-impact local story whose main developments are a bail release and a not-guilty plea.
3 Business Analyst A single passenger was charged over an alleged threatening text that caused a flight diversion with no injuries, a minor local criminal and aviation-security incident with limited economic or broad public impact.

Sources (3)

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