Heartbreaking audio reveals airport worker's final moments after he hijacked commercial plane and completed barrel roll
Gerrard Kaonga
Featured Image Credit: Handout/Inside Edition/YouTube
Audio footage has shed more light on a 2018 incident that saw an airport worker hijack a plane, take to the skies and tragically die.
Back in 2018, ground service agent with Horizon Airlines 29-year-old Richard Russell hijacked a plane at Seattle–Tacoma International airport on the evening of August 10.
Surveillance footage shows the baggage handler walking through security wearing a shirt that reads ‘The Sky’s No Limit’ ahead of committing the crime.
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Footage from a runway, shows him struggle to tow an empty Alaska Airlines jet before hopping in and taking off as it began to roll away with no one inside.
When Russell made contact with the flight tower he seemed to make light of the situation.
He even went as far as to say: “I’ve played video games before so I, uh, I know what I’m doing a little bit.”
He added: “I’ve got myself in a bit of a predicament, I’m in the air right now.”
The tower operator asked for clarification that he had just taken off and asked whether Russell was even meant to be in the aircraft, to which he answered he wasn’t.
This proved to be a confusing situation for authorities as fighter jets were scrambled to intercept the plane, fearing a terrorist attack.
For an hour, Russell flew the plane around the skies of Seattle even doing maneuvers, such as a barrel roll.
Most hauntingly, Russell gave an insight into his mindset during the incident, something that seemed to contradict what those closest to him thought about his well-being.
According to reports, outwardly Russell appeared to be fine, but he revealed in his final audio message that he had been struggling.
He said: “I wouldn’t know how to land it. I wasn’t really planning on landing it. I just wanted to do a couple of maneuvers and see what it can do before I put her down.
“I’m sorry about this, I hope this doesn’t ruin your day”
The tower operator continued to advise Russell as he discussed the aerial maneuvers he would be trying out in the air.
He later said: “Just a broken guy who has got a few screws loose, I guess.
“Never really knew it, until now.”
The situation came to an abrupt end when Russell crashed the plane on a remote island, killing himself.
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