A 61-year-old woman reportedly assaulted a flight attendant, leading to an unscheduled landing of a plane. Tracy Barkhimer, the head of a consulting firm, was on Alaska Airlines Flight 1057 from Portland, Oregon, to Dallas, Texas when the incident occurred. Authorities mentioned the passenger exhibited erratic behavior and allegedly hit two crew members who were attempting to pacify her.
Following the disturbance, the woman was restrained, and the aircraft diverted to Boise Airport in Ada County, Idaho. Law enforcement at the airport was alerted about the emergency landing just before 1:30 am on Tuesday. Subsequently, officers met with the two crew members, who requested and provided statements for the woman’s arrest.
Officials stated that Barkhimer was removed from the plane without any further disruptions, taken into custody, and booked into Ada County Jail on charges of battery. Alaska Airlines confirmed that the crew received clearance to resume flying post a medical evaluation, resulting in a 90-minute delay before the flight continued to its intended destination.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the airline clarified that only one flight attendant was assaulted, despite police records indicating two victims. Alaska Airlines emphasized its commitment to employee safety, expressing gratitude for the crew’s professionalism and apologizing for any inconveniences caused by the incident.
Barkhimer, a retired Navy captain and helicopter pilot with over two decades of active duty service, has reportedly been banned from future flights with Alaska Airlines. She currently serves as the president of TABAS Consulting, LLC, a company assisting businesses in engaging with Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR).
Meanwhile, a US Air Force aircraft transporting Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was compelled to divert to the UK due to a mid-air emergency. Approximately 30 minutes into its journey from Brussels to Washington, the Boeing C-32A signaled a general emergency with a “7700 squawk code” on its transponder, indicating onboard distress.
The aircraft encountered a depressurization problem off the southwest coast of Ireland, prompting a descent to 10,000 feet and a return eastward, as reported by the aviation news network Airlive, which monitored the flight on AirNav Radar.