Hear pilot apologize for making an ‘aggressive maneuver' to avoid hitting B-52 bomber
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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Pilot accused of child sex crimes is taken from cockpit minutes after flight lands in California
Just 10 minutes after a Delta plane landed at San Francisco International Airport, law enforcement and federal agents entered the cockpit and apprehended a pilot, authorities say. The arrest Saturday left passengers agape. The group of officers and agents "were pushing their way up through the aisle" and into the cockpit, where they cuffed the co-pilot before leading him away, one passenger told the San Francisco Chronicle. Rustom Bhagwagar, a 34-year-old Florida resident, was arrested on suspicion of sexual crimes against a minor. Contra Costa County sheriff's deputies and Department of Homeland Security agents apprehended Bhagwagar at about 9:35 p.m. Saturday after the Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis landed at SFO, according to a sheriff's news release. Authorities said Bhagwagar was arrested and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on five counts of oral copulation with a child under the age of 10. His bail was set at $5 million. The investigation into Bhagwagar began months ago after authorities received reports that he had allegedly committed a sexual crime against a child, according to the release. Contra Costa deputies discovered that Bhagwagar was a pilot and — with assistance from Homeland Security, which did not take part in the investigation — apprehended him once the flight concluded. A spokesperson from Delta Airlines said in a statement to The Times that they would cooperate with authorities and have 'zero tolerance' for the alleged unlawful conduct. Deputies said the investigation was ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact the sheriff's Investigations Division at (925) 313-2600 or at (866) 846-3592 for anonymous tips. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Delta Pilot Arrested By Federal Agents After Landing Plane In San Francisco
A Delta Air Lines pilot was taken into custody by federal agents shortly after landing at the San Francisco International Airport on Saturday, reportedly leaving both passengers and the plane's lead pilot stunned. The pilot was arrested on charges of child sexual abuse material by agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a Homeland Security spokesperson told HuffPost on Monday, without offering further comment. A Delta spokesperson told HuffPost that the company has 'zero tolerance for unlawful conduct' and that it will fully cooperate with law enforcement. 'We are appalled by reports of the charges related to the arrest and the individual in question has been suspended pending an investigation,' the spokesperson said in a statement. Flight 2809 from Minneapolis had just landed at the airport, around 9:35 p.m., when agents entered the plane, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. 'A group of people with badges, guns, and different agency vests/markings were pushing their way up through the aisle to the cockpit,' a passenger, who had been seated in first class, told the outlet in an email. Another passenger, only identified as Sarah, said she counted at least 10 agents. 'They barged through and stormed the cockpit,' she told ABC San Francisco affiliate KGO. 'They removed the co-pilot, cuffed him, presumably arrested him, and brought him back down the aisle to deplane.' Passengers reportedly weren't told what had just happened, and the remaining pilot also told passengers that he had 'no idea what just happened,' according to the Chronicle. Video shared by the aviation blog, View From The Wing, appears to show federal agents leaving the plane's cockpit moments after the pilot's arrest. It's a federal crime to produce, advertise, transport, distribute, receive, sell, possess, or access with the intent to view child sexual abuse material. One of the HSI's priorities is combating the sexual exploitation of children. Related... Passenger Plane Crashes In Russia's Far East Killing All 48 On Board SkyWest Plane Does 'Aggressive Maneuver' To Avoid Mid-Air Collision With B-52, Pilot Says New Details In Air India Crash Probe Shift Focus To Plane's Captain, WSJ Reports Snake Sneaks Onto Plane And Delays A Flight In Australia
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Delta pilot faces child sex assault charges after post-flight arrest
A Delta Air Lines pilot that was taken into custody after landing at San Francisco International Airport was arrested on child sexual assault charges, authorities said. Rustom Bhagwagar, 34, was booked on five counts of oral copulation with a child under 10 years of age, according to a statement provided to USA TODAY by the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office on July 28. The statement said the arrest stemmed from an ongoing investigation that began with a report of "sex crimes against a child" made in April. County records show that Bhagwagar was arrested on July 26 and is being held in lieu of $5 million bail. It was unclear if Bhagwagar had legal representation, as of Monday afternoon, July 28, and an initial court date was not listed in the county record. Videos shared online and published by travel outlet View from the Wing showed officers walking down the aisle of flight 2809 after its arrival at San Francisco International Airport. The plane landed at approximately 9:35 p.m. the day of the arrest after a delay for heavy fog, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Delta said in a statement that Bhagwagar had been suspended, pending investigation, and that the company is cooperating with law enforcement. "We are appalled by reports of the charges related to the arrest," the airline said. Charges bring clarity to scrutinized arrest The incident drew scrutiny as the nature of the arrest was not immediately clear prior to the statement from the sheriff's office. Hira Zhahir, a Homeland Security Investigations public affairs officer, told USA TODAY July 28 that the department was not the lead agency on the arrest, saying, "HSI was assisting Contra Costa Sherriff's office with an arrest warrant." Footage taken on the plane and published by View from the Wing shows some of the officers wearing plainclothes and badges. It is unclear from the footage if the officers were masked. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Delta pilot Rustom Bhagwagar faces child assault charges after arrest
