Plane diverted to Boston after Israeli rushes cockpit

Published 2:53 pm Saturday, April 25, 2009

BOSTON — A Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Tel Aviv, Israel, has been diverted to Boston after an unruly passenger rushed the cockpit.

Phil Orlandella, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Port Authority, said the 22-year-old Israeli man ran toward the cockpit and pounded on the door. He said passengers and crew helped to subdue the man.

The passengers are being held in Boston as investigators interview them and check their luggage. No other flights have been affected.

Anthony Black, a spokesman for Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines Inc., said Flight 86 had 206 passengers and 11 crew members aboard when it landed Friday night at Logan Airport. The plane had left New York about two hours earlier.