A man who forced a plane to land in Alaska after calling a Black flight attendant the N-word and then attempting to attack another cabin crew member could face up to 20 years in prison for the explosive in-flight disruption.
The disturbance happened on a Delta Air Lines flight on March 14 that departed Seattle, Washington, and was bound for Taipei, Taiwan, according to KTUU and PEOPLE.
Just three hours into the trip, while the flight was over the Pacific Ocean, the FBI Field Office in Anchorage, Alaska, was contacted about a disruption on the plane.
Authorities learned that a Black male flight attendant was eating a meal when a passenger, identified by authorities as 60-year-old Malcolm Martin, grabbed his shoulder to ask whether the lavatory was occupied.
The flight attendant informed Martin that when the restroom’s lock icon is displayed, it means the bathroom is in use.
Court documents state that Martin started making disrespectful comments and used the bathroom when it was finally free. After he was done, he allegedly confronted the flight attendant again, started hurling racial slurs, including the N-word, and threatened to fight him.
The argument intensified so much that other passengers started getting involved to settle things down, but tensions continued to rise. Investigators say another flight attendant grabbed a set of restraints and approached Martin and warned him to return to his seat.
That’s when Martin allegedly tried to hit the second flight attendant, but missed. No one was physically injured during the incident.
The disturbance forced the pilots to lock the cockpit door and land the plane at the Anchorage International Airport. Authorities say Martin was intoxicated during the altercation.
“Martin had several alcoholic drinks during the flight and was described by witness passengers as an ‘a—hole’ before boarding the plane,” the affidavit states.
Investigators also collected several videos of the incident from passengers showing Martin in a “heated discussion.”
“The movements were quick and short in distance and appeared similar to how someone’s body would be animated in a heated discussion,” the FBI agent says. “I did not observe a lunge or swing by Martin during the cursory review.”
A Delta spokesperson confirmed that “an unruly passenger was removed from the flight upon diverting to Anchorage.”
Martin was arrested and faces a federal charge for alleged interference with a flight crew. He was later charged with one count of assault in aircraft jurisdiction.
If he’s convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
