United Flight 1551 diverted to Dulles

United Airlines diverted Flight 1551 to Washington Dulles International Airport on Thursday night after a passenger allegedly tried to open a cabin door during the trip from Newark Liberty International Airport to Guatemala City. The airline said the Boeing 737 landed safely and was met by law enforcement. Federal authorities opened an investigation after the incident, which occurred with 145 passengers and six crew members on board, according to NBC-owned stations and other local reports. No injuries were immediately reported. ### When and where did the diversion happen? Thursday, May 21, was the date of the incident, despite some early reports published on May 22. Flight 1551 departed Newark and diverted to Dulles, where the Federal Aviation Administration told local outlet DC News Now the aircraft landed safely at about 8:30 p.m. local time. NBC New York reported the flight had been scheduled to leave Newark around 7 p.m. for Guatemala City. (nbcnews.com) Washington Dulles became the diversion airport after the crew reported a disturbance in the cabin. United said the flight was diverted “due to an unruly passenger,” and local television outlets in the Washington area reported the plane was met on arrival by law enforcement officers. (nbcnewyork.com) ### What did the crew report in the air? Air traffic control audio cited by NBC Washington and ABC7 New York said the passenger tried to open “door 2L at 36,000 feet.” In the same exchange, the pilot also reported that the passenger “assaulted a fellow passenger,” according to those outlets’ accounts of the recording. (nbcwashington.com) The cockpit crew told controllers there were no known injuries, according to the same audio as quoted by local reports. NBC Washington said an exchange included a question from the ground about which door had been targeted, followed by the pilot’s response identifying the left-side door. (nbcwashington.com) ### How many people were on board? United Flight 1551 was carrying 145 passengers and six crew members, according to NBC Washington, ABC7 New York and DC News Now. Those figures were repeated across multiple local reports on Friday. United also said the aircraft landed safely. ABC7 New York reported the airline said no injuries were reported and that law enforcement addressed the passenger after landing. (nbcwashington.com) ### What have United and federal authorities said? United described the episode as involving an “unruly passenger” and said the flight diverted out of Newark en route to Guatemala City before landing safely at Dulles. (nbcwashington.com) The airline did not, in the reports reviewed, publicly identify the passenger or describe any charges. (abc7ny.com) The FAA told DC News Now that it was investigating. Local Washington-area reports said law enforcement met the aircraft on arrival, and NBC News said federal authorities began investigating on Thursday evening. ### What happened to passengers after landing? Friday morning was the next travel step for stranded passengers. (nbcnews.com) DC News Now reported the original flight was canceled and a replacement flight was added on Friday morning. Aviation outlet Simple Flying, citing passenger handling after the diversion, reported travelers were accommodated in a hotel overnight before continuing to Guatemala City the next day. (dcnewsnow.com) As of Friday’s reports, the clearest next milestones were the FAA investigation and any action by federal law enforcement at Dulles. The named agencies in published accounts were the FAA and local law enforcement officers who met the plane after landing. (dcnewsnow.com)