Pilot locked in lavatory sparks terrorism scare
DARWIN, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 17: US President Barack Obama departs on Air Force One from RAAF Darwin during the second day of his 2-day visit to Australia on November 17, 2011 in Darwin, Australia. The US President flew to Darwin to lay a wreath at the USS Peary Memorial, and visit the RAAF base, where US Army Air Force units were established during World War II. (Photo by Michael Franchi – Pool/Getty Images)
A pilot on a New York City-bound airplane sparked a terror alert after he accidentally locked himself in the airplane's lavatory as the plane circled New York.
While he managed to alert a passenger to relay the message to the co-pilot, the man's Middle Eastern accent scared the co-pilot.
"The captain disappeared in the back, and uh, I have someone with a thick foreign accent trying to access the cockpit," said the co-pilot to the control tower at LaGuardia airport, the Daily Record reported.
Though the passenger explained through the door of the cock-pit what had happened, the co-pilot remained suspicious, even after the man gave a secret password.
"What I'm being told is he's stuck in the lav, and, uh, someone with a thick foreign accent is giving me a password to access the cockpit. I'm not about to let him in" the co-pilot said.
The incident occurred on a Chatauqua Airlines flight from North Caroline to LaGuardia airport. The plane was in a holding pattern when the pilot used the toilet.
According to ABC News, fighter planes were put on standby, and the panic only ended after the pilot managed to force his way out of the toilet.