DETROIT – A flight from Reagan National Airport to Detroit was delayed Friday when four men had to be removed from a Delta plane.
In a statement, Delta Airlines said a federal law enforcement officer on board Pinnacle flight 3290 saw the four men "behaving suspiciously" prior to pushing back from the gate and reported it to the flight crew.
Sources close to the investigation told Local 4 the men weren't speaking English and ran into a language barrier with the flight crew when they didn't take their seats and made trips to the restroom.
The men were of Middle Eastern decent.
The plane was emptied and TSA re-scanned all of the luggage.
The four men were taken off the plane and questioned by law enforcement officials.
The men were not allowed back on the flight, but sources said investigators don't think anything sinister was behind the men's behavior and that it was simply a language issue.
--Dogs sniff luggage from a Detroit-bound plane at Reagan National Airport
Local 4 General Sales Manager on Detroit-bound flight
General Sales Manager Gary Macko was on board the flight and called into the Local 4 studios in Detroit and sent in pictures.
Macko said the men were noticeably walking around and talking to each other as other passengers tried to board the flight, which was scheduled to leave at 11:30 a.m.
Watch: Passenger says men were not cooperating
"This behavior was very suspicious looking," Macko said. "As the plane was about to push off, two of them got up. One went to the front of the plane, one went to the back of the plane. Flight attendants told them to sit down and they went to the bathroom."
Macko said the flight crew started talking amongst themselves and the plane remained where it was for about 45 minutes.
"I was sitting in this window seat and I could see all of a sudden the Homeland Security cars showing up and parking outside and people getting out and walking around," Macko said.
Macko said the men were taken off the plane and the passengers were told there had been some type of security breach.
Full statement from Delta Airlines
The following statement is from Eric T. Epperson, vice president of corporate culture and communications:
· On Friday, 6/8, a federal law enforcement officer on board Pinnacle flight 3290 (Reagan National Airport (DCA) to Detroit Wayne County (DTW) observed a group of 4 passengers behaving suspiciously prior to pushing back from the gate for taxi.
· After reporting the behavior to the flight crew, the Captain made the decision not to push back from the gate out of an abundance of caution.
· All passengers were safely de-planed and the TSA has re-screened the aircraft.
· The suspicious passengers were questioned by law enforcement and removed from the flight.
· The aircraft was cleared to continue its flight and has departed for DTW