Plane Returns to Seattle After Assault on Flight Attendant

SEATAC, Wash. (AP) — Officials say a Delta Airlines flight bound for Beijing returned to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after a passenger assaulted a flight attendant.

Sea-Tac Airport spokesman Perry Cooper says a 23-year-old Florida man in first class assaulted a flight attendant about 45 minutes into Delta flight 129 Thursday night.

Cooper says passengers then helped restrain the man until the plane landed back in Seattle.

The flight attendant and one other person were injured and taken to a hospital.

Airport officials said they conferred with FBI and the incident is not thought to be a national security threat.

Delta said in a statement that "The passenger was restrained on board and was removed from the flight by law enforcement without further incident."

The flight would left for Beijing later Thursday night.