An unruly passenger reportedly tried to enter the cockpit of the plane, forcing the pilots to make an emergency landing.
Authorities say the United Airlines flight was halfway between Chicago and Minneapolis when the passenger started acting erratically.
Several fellow passengers posted on social media that the man was speaking in Russian during the struggle during the flight.
The plane was forced to land at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin on Friday night.
An image taken onboard shows an unidentified hostile aircraft being forced to deplane by several police officers.
Details of the shocking incident have not yet been released by the authorities.
United Airlines said the flight “landed safely in Madison, Wisconsin, resolving a safety concern with an unruly passenger”.
There were 147 passengers and six crew members on board the aircraft.
There is no information about anyone being injured.
The FBI cooperated with police in the response.
A spokesman for the Milwaukee FBI branch said the agency had been notified of the flight’s diversion.
Both FBI Madison office agents and local law enforcement responded to the airport.
“The Dane County Sheriff’s Office took one person into custody and passengers have since reboarded their flight,” an FBI spokesperson said.
An official with the Dane County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the aircraft had requested law enforcement assistance.
Air traffic control audio captured the communication between ground and flight personnel the moment law enforcement officers arrived at the scene.
According to NBC’s report, a crew member can be heard saying, “I don’t believe they ever handcuffed him, but after several attempts to break into the cockpit they finally managed to get control of him.”
“I believe at this time he is sitting in a seat with law enforcement officers on either side of him.”
After the passenger was removed, the flight continued its journey to Minneapolis.
According to FlightAware data, it landed early Saturday morning.
