Delta Co-Pilot Arrested by Federal Agents Moments After Landing in San Francisco

Passengers aboard Delta Flight 2809 were left stunned after a dramatic in-flight arrest unfolded moments after landing in San Francisco on Saturday night, July 26.

Just as the plane completed its journey from Minneapolis and was preparing to deplane, approximately 10 federal agents reportedly from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)  boarded the aircraft, headed straight for the cockpit, and arrested the co-pilot. Witnesses say the officers, wearing badges and agency vests, handcuffed the pilot, escorted him down the aisle, and removed his bags shortly after.

Passenger Sarah Christianson described the scene as “shocking and unnerving,” noting that the flight crew appeared equally confused. “It was rage-inducing to see someone being disappeared right in front of me,” she said.

HSI, a division under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has not disclosed the reason for the arrest or confirmed if the incident is immigration-related. The pilot’s identity and charges remain unknown at this time.