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May 25, 2010
JetBlue pilot removed from flight after threatening ‘spectacular’ suicide
JetBlue Airways on Thursday pulled one of its pilots from a flight at Boston Logan after he reportedly sent an e-mail to his girlfriend threatening to take his own life in what he described as "some spectacular fashion." The pilot's girlfriend, a flight attendant, reported the e-mail to authorities, who intercepted the pilot in a crew lounge an hour before the 2:30 p.m. flight, ABC News said. JetBlue, in an e-mailed statement to ATWOnline, said the pilot was removed "for health-related reasons." BOS Federal Security Director George Naccara told media outlets that the pilot made no reference to endangering the aircraft or harming anyone else other than himself. "As it was described in the e-mail it was probably going to happen during an overnight. So, my guess would have been someplace other than in the airport or an airplane," Naccara said in an interview with WBZ-TV.
Though it declined to elaborate or to answer further questions about the pilot or flight in question, JetBlue corroborated Naccara's statement, telling ATWOnline "At no point were any customers or aircraft in danger. We are working closely with Boston authorities to ensure our crewmember receives appropriate medical attention." According to ABC News, the pilot voluntarily agreed to be transported to a hospital for evaluation after being confronted by law enforcement and allegedly was relieved of a firearm but was not charged with firearm possession. Owing to security concerns, it is unclear whether the pilot was part of the Flight Deck Officer program, run by the Federal Air Marshal Service, which puts armed agents on select airline flights. State Police spokesperson David Procopio told ABC News that a federal investigation is ongoing.
Though it declined to elaborate or to answer further questions about the pilot or flight in question, JetBlue corroborated Naccara's statement, telling ATWOnline "At no point were any customers or aircraft in danger. We are working closely with Boston authorities to ensure our crewmember receives appropriate medical attention." According to ABC News, the pilot voluntarily agreed to be transported to a hospital for evaluation after being confronted by law enforcement and allegedly was relieved of a firearm but was not charged with firearm possession. Owing to security concerns, it is unclear whether the pilot was part of the Flight Deck Officer program, run by the Federal Air Marshal Service, which puts armed agents on select airline flights. State Police spokesperson David Procopio told ABC News that a federal investigation is ongoing.
