Passenger's Bomb Threat on Flight: A Desperate Escape from Cartel Threats

A passenger on an Alaska Airlines flight from Atlanta to Seattle was accused of making a bomb threat, claiming that he did so to escape members of a cartel who were waiting to torture and kill him in Seattle. The plane was diverted to Spokane, Washington, where the passenger was detained, but no explosives were found. The passenger stated that he made the false threat in the hope of being arrested. This incident follows a similar incident on another Alaska Airlines flight a few months prior. The passenger now faces charges of false information and hoaxes, with a possible prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of $250,000 if convicted.