SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – A woman who scuffled with flight attendants and another passenger and then claimed a bomb was on a plane flying between Oregon and Colorado Wednesday has been charged with interference with a fight crew.
Bogdana Georgieva, 35, a resident of Bulgaria, is scheduled to make her first appearance in U.S. District Court on Thursday in Salt Lake City, where United Express Flight 6664 was diverted. A conviction on the charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison.
Georgieva was on board the United Express/Skywest flight, which left Eugene, Ore., early Wednesday morning and was headed for Denver, normally a 2 1/2-hour trip.
She seemed agitated early in the flight, court documents said. When she took a bottle of water from the passenger sitting next to her, the passenger asked flight attendants to be moved to another seat, court papers said. When the female passenger got up to move, Georgieva allegedly threw the woman into the aisle, charging papers said.
Georgieva then began yelling that "she had a baby named Jesus, she was impregnated by her uncle, and President Bush was behind it all," charging papers said. She then attempted to take off her shirt and started to throw items at other passengers, the charging documents said.
The pilot diverted the plane to Salt Lake City International Airport. During the landing, Georgieva ran toward the cockpit and was stopped by flight attendants, with whom she got in another scuffle. She was eventually subdued by passengers, according to the court documents.
After the plane landed, Georgieva tried to run from Salt Lake City Airport police and said there was a bomb on board the aircraft, court documents said.
No bomb was found, said FBI Agent Patrick J. Kiernan.
The plane was evacuated and checked for explosives. Passengers were allowed back on board and the flight continued to Denver, he said.
Georgieva was sent to University Hospital here for evaluation.
The Skywest plane is operated by United Express.