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CNN Live At Daybreak

Pablo Moreira Will Appear in Miami Court Today

Aired February 08, 2002 - 05:01   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: OK, let's talk about that case of air rage some more. A passenger who broke into the cockpit of a United Airlines flight faces a court appearance in Miami this afternoon.

As CNN's Mark Potter reports, a post-September 11 security precaution may have saved lives.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As soon as the Boeing 777 landed in Argentina, 28-year-old Pablo Moreira was taken into custody. The FBI says he is a bank employee from Montevideo, Uruguay. United Airlines Flight 855 left Miami around midnight, heading for Buenos Aires with 157 people aboard. Trouble began hours later.

JUDY ORIHUELA, FBI SPOKESWOMAN: At about 5:30 this morning, an individual, Pablo Moreira, got out of his seat, walked toward the cockpit and started kicking at the cockpit door. This individual forced his way into the cockpit and the co-pilot took an axe and hit him on the head.

POTTER: An eyewitness says the man used karate kicks to knock out a panel in the cockpit door. After the co-pilot struck him, Moreira was subdued by crew members and passengers.

JAN BOYER, FLIGHT 855 PASSENGER: So we all jumped on top of him and some of the crew members and passengers, actually three of us, and we were restraining him.

BRIAN HOPMAN, FLIGHT 855 PASSENGER: And I know that there was a big struggle between the pilots and this guy and also some first class passengers, it appeared that they had been involved in the altercation and had blood all over their clothing.

POTTER: In Buenos Aires, Moreira was treated by a doctor and was described as stable and lucid. The FBI says it found no weapon and doesn't know why the man kicked in the door. United Airlines credits a fast moving crew and a recently reinforced cockpit door with preventing Moreira from fully entering the cockpit. After September 11, the door was strengthened with a security bar. After returning to Miami in the custody of FBI agent, Moreira will be held in a detention facility. (on camera): Moreira's initial court appearance will be before a federal magistrate in Miami. Authorities say he is likely to face a charge of interfering with a flight crew, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Mark Potter, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And we'll have a live report about this subject in our six o'clock hour.

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