A transatlantic flight took a terrifying detour on Saturday when a 28-year-old man allegedly stabbed two teenagers mid-air, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Boston.
The Lufthansa flight, originally bound for Germany from Chicago, was diverted to Boston Logan International Airport after passengers and crew were left shaken by what prosecutors now describe as an unprovoked and violent outburst. The suspect, identified as Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, was arrested upon landing and is now facing federal charges of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm on an aircraft.
According to the Department of Justice, Usiripalli—who was previously in the U.S. on a student visa and studying for a master’s degree in biblical studies—no longer has legal status in the country. What caused him to lash out remains unclear, but the details emerging from the charging documents paint a disturbing picture of the incident.
One of the teenage victims, a 17-year-old referred to as Minor A, was reportedly asleep in a middle seat when he awoke to Usiripalli standing over him. Without warning, the man allegedly stabbed the boy in the clavicle with a metal fork.
Then, Usiripalli turned to another 17-year-old, Minor B, also sitting in a middle seat nearby. He allegedly used the same fork to strike the second teen in the back of the head, causing a visible laceration.
Crew members quickly intervened, but the situation escalated further. Prosecutors say Usiripalli raised his hand, mimed a gun with his fingers, placed it in his mouth, and made a pulling motion with his thumb. He then reportedly slapped a female passenger and attempted to strike a crew member.
The suspect was subdued and detained until the flight touched down in Boston, where federal authorities took over.
The motive remains unknown. No connection between Usiripalli and the teens has been reported. What is known, however, is that a quiet flight over the Atlantic turned into a scene of panic and violence in moments. And while no lives were lost, the psychological trauma—particularly for the young victims—is immeasurable.
Now, with federal charges filed, the case moves from 30,000 feet down into the courtroom, where justice may begin to untangle the chaotic series of events that turned an ordinary flight into a nightmare.
