Man Arrested for Alleged Hijacking Threat on United Flight from Las Vegas

A United Airlines flight bound for Newark was forced to return to Las Vegas on Saturday after a flight attendant discovered a passenger allegedly sending text messages threatening to hijack the plane. The passenger, identified as 25-year-old Dante Milne of Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, was subsequently arrested.

The incident occurred on United Flight 1681, approximately 13 minutes after departure from Harry Reid International Airport. According to reports, Milne allegedly texted someone, "gonna hijack this" plane and vowed to "crash ur [sic] row only." The flight attendant observed the messages and alerted the cockpit.

The pilot informed air traffic controllers that the passenger was unaware of the situation unfolding. Law enforcement met the aircraft upon its return to Las Vegas. Milne was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Clark County Jail, though court records indicate he has since been released on bail.

Milne faces a felony charge for making a threat or providing false information in an act of terrorism. As part of his bail conditions, he was instructed to avoid further trouble.

Following Milne's arrest, all other 149 passengers were evacuated from the plane, and the aircraft underwent a thorough inspection. The flight was delayed overnight because the flight crew had reached their maximum operating hours. The flight eventually departed for Newark on Sunday morning.

This event follows another recent incident involving a United Airlines flight, where severe turbulence caused injuries to four flight attendants and a steep plunge of the aircraft. That flight, en route from Honolulu to Los Angeles, landed safely despite the severe turbulence.