Off-duty pilot onboard Alaska Airlines flight attempts to disable engines

An Alaska Airlines flight bound for San Francisco was diverted to Portland, Oregon, after an off-duty pilot inside the flight deck attempted to disable the aircraft engines.

Alaska Airlines Flight 2059 operated by Horizon Air from Everett, Washington, diverted on Sunday after reporting a credible security threat related to an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot who was traveling in the flight deck jump seat, the airline said.

The Federal Aviation Administration told airlines in a notice seen by Reuters the individual sought to disable the engines on the Embraer 175 regional jet by deploying the fire suppression system and added the crew was able to subdue the individual and remove him from the flight deck.