News

Guy Takes a Plane on a Joy ride

August 13, 2018

A suicidal mechanic stole a propeller airplane at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport on Friday and crashed it into a nearby island. The family of Richard Russell, 29, a ground service agent at the airport, called him”a faithful husband, a loving son and a good friend.” On Friday night, Russell hijacked a 76-seat aircraft belonging to Alaska Airlines’ regional carrier Horizon Air and performed aerial acrobatics before crashing into nearby Ketron Island. Authorities classified Russell as a “suicidal male.” While in the air, he joked for 20-minutes with an air traffic control agent, but also called himself “just a broken guy” who was likely disappointing the many people who care about him. Two F-15 fighters were scrambled to keep the plane away from populated areas, and all SeaTac flights were briefly grounded.