Deportee Accused of Storming Airplane Cockpit

Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, a 34-year-old Honduran national, was arrested after allegedly claiming he had a bomb and attempting to reach the cockpit of United Flight 2174 from Newark to New Orleans. The aircraft, carrying 46 passengers and six crew, landed safely at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport shortly after 11 p.m. Monday. Jefferson Parish deputies took him into custody without further incident.

DHS stated that Gomez-Alberto had been removed from the United States twice—once in 2011 and again in 2014—and was arrested a third time in 2019 attempting illegal entry. A judge released him in 2020 pending removal proceedings. ICE has lodged a detainer. He faces state charges of terrorizing and communicating false information about arson, plus a fugitive warrant from another jurisdiction.

Witness accounts and air-traffic audio indicate he changed into dark clothing, acted erratically, told crew he had a bomb, and moved toward the cockpit, prompting a hijacking alert. Crew members restrained him in the rear of the cabin. No explosive device was found. United confirmed a disruptive passenger incident and that law enforcement met the aircraft.

The episode has drawn attention because of the suspect’s immigration history and the administration’s emphasis on removing criminal noncitizens. DHS highlighted that under current policies individuals with such records who attempt to interfere with aircraft are prioritized for enforcement. Local authorities charged him under Louisiana statutes related to false threats and terrorizing.

Passengers were evacuated after landing in a remote area. The flight had departed Newark around 9:30 p.m. Pilots declared the highest-level security alert once the cockpit approach and bomb claim were reported. Ground units, including units with containment capability, responded. The suspect was identified through airline and law-enforcement records as the twice-deported Honduran national.

The case illustrates both the operational response to in-flight threats and the continuing debate over detention and release of individuals with prior removal orders. Gomez-Alberto remains in custody at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center. Federal immigration authorities have indicated they will seek to take custody once state proceedings allow.