Authorities: No charges against passenger after plane makes emergency LaGuardia landing

Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Authorities said Sunday an airline passenger whose behavior prompted an emergency landing at New York City's LaGuardia Airport a day earlier would not be charged.

Thomas Topousis, a spokesman with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said in a statement that the unidentified passenger would not be charged as he "did not make a verbal threat" nor was he carrying a suspicious item, The New York Times reported.

The passenger was briefly detained but later released after American Eagle Flight 4817, operated by Republic Airways, made an emergency landing shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday at LaGuardia Airport where passengers were deplaned.

"The Port Authority Police Department determined there was no criminality," Topousis said.

The plane was en route from Indianapolis with more than 80 passengers and crew onboard when the pilot alerted authorities to a situation on board, prompting the emergency landing.

In a statement Saturday, the port authority said the emergency landing was conducted after passengers reported another passenger acting "suspicious and erratic."

Following the emergency landing, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said her office would continue to monitor the situation concerning the passenger disturbance-prompted landing.

"There is no reason to believe there is any danger to New Yorkers at this time," she tweeted.