United Pilots Squawk Hijack Code As Passenger Tries To Storm Cockpit
A United Airlines flight bound for New Orleans broadcast an emergency hijack code after a passenger claimed to possess explosives and tried to enter the flight deck.
An in-flight security breach prompted a commercial airliner to broadcast a critical emergency code as a passenger allegedly claimed to possess explosives and attempted to force entry into the flight deck, raising fresh questions about cabin safety protocols across the world.
The disturbance unfolded aboard United Airlines flight 2174 on Monday, November 9, 2026. The Boeing 737 MAX 9 had departed Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey at approximately 9:26 PM, bound for Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. While descending through 20,000 feet, the aircraft's flight crew transmitted squawk code 7500, the universal transponder setting for unlawful interference or hijacking. According to reports from aviation outlets and local law enforcement, the pilots declared a Level 4 threat, representing the most severe aviation alert category indicating an attempted or actual cockpit breach.
Media additions
Air traffic control recordings and local reporting indicated that the suspect had changed into all-black clothing before moving toward the front of the aircraft. The individual allegedly claimed to carry a bomb inside a backpack and spoke almost no English during the altercation. Flight crew members intervened and persuaded the man to move to the rear of the cabin, where he was seated with crew personnel for the remainder of the journey while the pilots remained locked inside the flight deck.
| Flight Detail | Departure (Newark) | Arrival (New Orleans) | Aircraft Type | Occupant Count (Disputed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines Flight 2174 | 9:26 PM / 9:27 PM / 9:30 PM (Nov 9, 2026) | 11:07 PM / 11:15 PM / 11:16 PM (Nov 9, 2026) | Boeing 737 MAX 9 | 46 passengers / 6 crew OR 49 passengers / 6 crew |
Discrepancies emerged regarding the exact manifest numbers on board. While primary airline data cited by outlets such as Simple Flying and the New York Post recorded 46 passengers and six crew members, alternative reporting reviewed by Times Now noted an airline spokesperson referencing 49 passengers alongside six crew. Despite the mid-air emergency, the aircraft touched down safely at 11:07 PM according to flight tracking data, though alternative timestamps placed the arrival slightly later. Local sheriff's deputies and first responders immediately surrounded the aircraft upon arrival, keeping passengers on board temporarily to coordinate a safe exit before taking the suspect into custody.
The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office identified the suspect as 34-year-old Rony Gomez-Alberto, a resident of New York. Authorities booked him into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center without bond, where he faces state charges including communicating false information of planned arson and terrorizing. Legal authorities emphasized that these charges remain allegations and that he has not been convicted.
Federal authorities quickly uncovered an extensive immigration history. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated that Gomez-Alberto is a Honduran national who had previously entered the United States unlawfully on multiple occasions. According to the federal agency, he was arrested near El Indio, Texas, in September 2011 and again near Columbus, New Mexico, in October 2014, resulting in deportations both times. He allegedly re-entered the country through San Ysidro, California, in 2019, leading to a third arrest by Border Patrol before an immigration judge ordered his release from custody in January 2020 pending removal proceedings. Following his arrest in Louisiana, Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a formal detainer against him.
The incident follows a separate security scare involving the same carrier weeks prior. On October 24, 2026, an aircraft bound for New Jersey returned to Harry Reid International Airport minutes after takeoff after a flight attendant observed a passenger texting about hijacking the plane. In that case, the traveler was identified as 25-year-old trainee welder Dante Milne, who later told police he was intoxicated and engaging in poor banter with a friend. International aviation safety discussions have also been amplified by unrelated cockpit violence overseas, including a violent struggle aboard a flydubai flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026, which ended in an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
What To Watch Next
- Federal investigative findings from the Federal Aviation Administration regarding the cockpit breach attempt.
- Potential federal indictments or formal court proceedings related to the alleged bomb threat.
- Enforcement and removal actions by immigration authorities regarding the active ICE detainer.
