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Stowaway accused of hiding on flight from NYC to Paris arrested, faces charge: Reports

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Stowaway accused of hiding on flight from NYC to Paris arrested, faces charge: Reports


According to reports, Svetlana Dali, 57, was arrested on Wednesday.

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Svetlana Dali, the 57-year-old woman accused of hiding on a Delta Airlines flight from New York to Paris during Thanksgiving week, was arrested when she returned to the US and is expected to be charged, reports say.

According to ABC News, officials said that the Russian National was taken into custody by the FBI when she deplaned at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on Wednesday. She was reportedly transported via Delta flight from Charles de Gaulle Airport in France.

CNN and CBS News reported that she is facing a charge of being a stowaway on a vessel or aircraft without consent. She is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday. In addition, the Transportation Security Administration plans to open a civil case against Dali.

“The TSA will open civil cases against passengers when there’s evidence that procedures may have been violated,” TSA spokesperson Alexa Lopez told CNN.

USA TODAY reached out to the TSA, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York for comment.

Suspect ‘bypassed two identity verification and boarding status stations’

According to the Transportation Security Administration, the incident occurred on Delta flight 264 from New York to Paris on Nov. 26.

TSA spokesperson David Fitz previously told USA TODAY Thursday that the individual was “physically screened without any prohibited items,” “bypassed two identity verification and boarding status stations, and boarded the aircraft” despite not having a boarding pass.

Fitz said an investigation is ongoing. According to an ABC News report, the stowaway was discovered during the flight and removed after the plane landed in Paris. It remains unclear how the person managed to bypass security and board the plane. 

Delta Airlines is ‘working closely’ with law enforcement

In a statement to USA TODA on Thursday, Delta Airlines expressed gratitude to law enforcement officials in the US and France.

“Our review affirms that Delta’s security infrastructure, as part of our Safety Management System framework, is sound and that deviation from standard procedures is the root cause of this event.,” the statement continued. “We are thoroughly addressing this matter and will continue to work closely with our regulators, law enforcement and other relevant stakeholders. Nothing is of greater importance than safety and security.”

Contributing: Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY

Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.

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