Pilot defends decision to divert flight in air rage trial

Captain Jands Latura told the trial of Jeremiah Mathis Thede the unscheduled landing in Belfast was the first time in his 30-year piloting career he had changed course due to unruly on-board behaviour.

He said the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and his employers at United Airlines had not questioned or challenged the decision to divert, which was taken on safety grounds.

Thede, from California, denies a charge of recklessly or negligently acting in a manner likely to endanger the Boeing 777 or persons in the aircraft which had been en route from Rome to Chicago.

He allegedly swore at a flight attendant after she refused his request for peanuts and crackers and, as the journey continued, is accused of engaging in other erratic and threatening behaviour.

Mr Latura told Antrim Crown Court: “We followed our procedures very, very well, we did what was necessary to ensure the safety of every passenger - every man, woman and child on that aeroplane.”

He added: “He was behaving in a manner which was threatening, not just to flight attendants, but to other passengers and basically to the safety of the aircraft.”

On the fourth day of the trial, the transcript of a police interview with Thede upon his arrest in Northern Ireland was outlined to the jury.

In it, he branded the allegations made by crew as a “fabrication” and “ludicrous”.

Mr Latura said he had dealt with multiple incidents of disruptive behaviour in the last three decades but, on each occasion, the situation had been “de-escalated”.

“I had 31 years without a divert. I wasn’t keen on doing one this time either,” he said.

The captain said crew had done everything possible to resolve the situation.

“We couldn’t get it to calm down or de-escalate,” he insisted.

Mr Latura said pilots were mindful of the international terror threat and, as a consequence, were wary of potential “distraction” behaviour designed to side-track crew from more sinister acts.

While this was not ultimately the case with Thede, the captain said it had to be considered as the situation involving the defendant unfolded.

Thede, 42, from Berkeley, told police the decision to divert was “pretty poor judgment”.

“I don’t understand what kind of threat I could’ve been to that aircraft,” he said.

The airliner carrying 264 passengers was flying to the US on June 20 last year when the captain made the decision to touch down at Belfast.