Honduran man arrested for bomb threat on a plane in the US

Rony Alexander Gómez-Alberto, a Honduran deported twice from the United States, was arrested after causing an incident during a commercial flight. (Photo: Courtesy) A Honduran man who had been deported twice from the United States was arrested after causing a security incident aboard a United Airlines commercial flight, where he allegedly threatened with a bomb and attempted to enter the aircraft's cockpit. The suspect was identified as Rony Alexander Gómez-Alberto, who reportedly caused moments of tension during a flight on the route between Newark, New Jersey, and New Orleans, Louisiana, on November 9. According to information released by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Honduran allegedly attempted to access the pilots' area while the plane was in operation. The incident triggered the corresponding security protocols and prompted the intervention of US authorities, who received the aircraft once it landed. The case gained greater relevance after the DHS revealed that Gómez-Alberto had been expelled from US territory twice and that, despite that immigration history, he was once again in the country while facing a third deportation proceeding. Through a post on the social network X, the agency questioned why the Honduran had been released by judicial order while his immigration process was underway. The aircraft was flying the route between Newark, New Jersey, and New Orleans, Louisiana, when the incident occurred on November 9. (Photo: REUTERS/Marco Bello/Archive) "He has been expelled from the country twice and released a third time, pending a deportation process, by judicial order," the agency stated. The DHS also used the case to reiterate the position of President Donald Trump's administration toward immigrants who remain in the United States without legal status and who, according to authorities, pose risks to public safety. The agency maintained that individuals with criminal records who pose threats to aviation security will not be tolerated under the current immigration policy. According to information from the Associated Press (AP), after the incident Gómez-Alberto was transferred to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Louisiana, where he was booked on charges related to communicating false information about an alleged arson plot and terrorizing the population. The charges are related to the alarm caused by his alleged threats, which forced security procedures to be activated during the commercial flight. So far, the information released does not establish that explosives were found aboard the aircraft or that there was a device that could have detonated during the flight. United Airlines confirmed that the plane landed without problems and that authorities received the aircraft after the incident. (Photo: @IADMag) The reported threat and the alleged attempt to enter the cockpit constitute the central elements of the incident. For its part, United Airlines confirmed that one of its planes was involved in an incident with a passenger, but stated that the aircraft landed without problems. The company also indicated that authorities received the plane upon arrival, though it avoided providing further details about the Honduran's behavior or the specific circumstances that occurred during the flight. Cockpit security is one of the main protection protocols in commercial aviation, as access is restricted to authorized personnel. For that reason, any attempt to enter without authorization can trigger response measures by the crew and airport authorities. In this case, the police intervention took place after landing, when Gómez-Alberto came into the custody of Louisiana authorities. The episode also once again drew attention to the Honduran's immigration history and the circumstances under which he had remained in US territory after his previous deportations.