A Delta Air Lines co-pilot, identified as Rustom Bhagwagar, was arrested Saturday night by federal agents and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office moments after Delta Flight 2809 landed at San Francisco International Airport from Minneapolis.

The Boeing 757-300 touched down at approximately 9:35 p.m. local time after a delayed second landing approach due to heavy fog, authorities confirmed.

Video footage, first shared on the aviation blog View from the Wing, captured the intense scene as approximately 10 federal law enforcement officers, including agents from Homeland Security Investigations and individuals identifying as air marshals, stormed the cockpit.

The agents handcuffed Bhagwagar, escorted him through the aisle in view of passengers, and removed him from the aircraft via the cabin doors between first class and coach.

A passenger seated in first class, identified as Christianson, described the incident to the San Francisco Chronicle.

"A group of people with badges, guns, and different agency vests, markings were pushing their way up through the aisle to the cockpit," she said. "They stormed the cockpit, cuffed the co-pilot, arrested him, walked him down the aisle, and ushered him off the plane through the cabin doors located between first and coach."

Christianson added, "It was shocking and unnerving. It was rage-inducing to see someone being disappeared right in front of me."

She noted that a second team of agents returned shortly after to retrieve Bhagwagar’s personal belongings.

The crew provided no explanation to passengers, with the remaining pilot reportedly stating, "I have no idea what just happened," according to passenger accounts.

Delta Air Lines declined to comment, referring all inquiries to law enforcement.

A spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations in San Francisco confirmed the agency’s involvement.

"This is an ongoing local investigation with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office. HSI assisted local officials in executing an arrest warrant," the spokesperson stated.

While authorities have not officially disclosed the reason for the arrest, Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin, citing a senior federal source, reported that Bhagwagar was taken into custody on allegations related to the possession or distribution of child sexual abuse material.

This claim has not been independently verified by authorities.

The arrest follows another recent incident involving a Delta pilot detained in Amsterdam for allegedly failing a breathalyzer test, a result currently under dispute.

The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations continue to investigate, with no further details released as of Monday evening.
A routine flight turned into a scene of high drama and unanswered questions, as federal agents arrested a Delta co-pilot in front of shocked passengers.

The allegations, if true, are deeply troubling, and the lack of transparency from the airline and crew has only heightened concerns. We’ll continue to follow this story closely as more details emerge. For now, the investigation continues, and the aviation community is left grappling with the fallout.