NJ man blames drinking for text that forced Newark-bound flight to turn around

🚨A United flight returned to Las Vegas after a reported threat

🚨A NJ passenger told police he had been drinking before boarding and texted 'coworker banter'

🚨The Wood-Ridge resident was charged with making a terrorism-related threat

WOOD-RIDGE — A Bergen County man is blaming the drinks he had before takeoff from Las Vegas for the threatening texts he sent to a friend aboard the same flight.

United Airlines Flight 1681, a Boeing 737 carrying 150 passengers and six crew members bound for Newark, returned to Harry Reid International Airport late Saturday after the crew reported a “potential security concern.” The flight resumed its journey Sunday morning.

The passenger was identified by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police as Dante Milne, 25, who was charged with making a threat related to an act of terrorism, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The text that sent the plane back to Las Vegas

According to a criminal complaint obtained by the New York Post, Milne sent a text message stating, “I’m gonna hijack this bitch and crash ur row only.”

A flight attendant noticed the message about 15 minutes after takeoff and reported it to the captain. The crew secured the aircraft and returned to Las Vegas.

According to the arrest report, Milne described the message as “banter between coworkers” intended for a colleague sitting elsewhere on the plane. He told police he had no plans to take over the aircraft and expressed regret about what happened.

The New Jersey passenger faces a terrorism-related charge

According to KSNV-TV, Milne's attorney entered a not guilty plea, and Milne posted bail.

The New York Post reported that Milne is a trainee welder who was returning from Las Vegas after attending a seminar.

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