The sky thief Richard Russell captivated the audience’s attention after the Authorities at the Port of Seattle released an airport surveillance video of plane stealing.
The Surveillance footage obtained by KOMO shows 28-year-old Richard Russell using a tow vehicle to pull a Horizon Air Q400 aircraft onto the tarmac before climbing into the cockpit on August 10, 2018.
As per reporters, nearby co-workers weren’t even aware of Russell’s actions, which happened six hours into his shift, the moment leading to the stealing plane from the Port of Seattle.
Just continue reading to unveil facts about surveillance video showing when a baggage handler at Seattle Airport stole an Alaska Airlines plane before deliberately crashing it on a remote island, killing himself.
Meet The Sky Thief Richard Russell: Stole The Plane
Richard Russell enjoyed reading and worked as a ground services employee for Horizon Air. Richard was assigned to drive the tractor that backed the plane into position for takeoff as a job.
The released videos show the culprit performing several aerial stunts in the stolen aircraft before crashing on Ketron Island.
After the incident, the King Country medical examiner ruled his death as a suicide nearly four years ago.
As per the reports released by the FBI regarding Richard, the culprit “seemed fine” besides increased drinking, and his employees and family didn’t notice anything wrong with him before the theft and subsequent crash.
What Happened To The Sky Thief Richard Russell: Plane Crash Video Gone Viral
The Port of Seattle released airport surveillance video from cameras both inside the terminal and out on the tarmac that documented the incident unfolding in real-time.
The thief chatted with air traffic controllers as two Air Force F-15 jets gave chase, and after flying for an hour, Russell plunged into sparsely populated Ketron Island 25 miles southwest of the airport, sparking an intense fire.
As per the released footage, Richard Russell, a baggage handler at the airport, is seen passing through airport security wearing a black T-shirt with the words ‘The Sky’s No Limit’ printed on the back.
Later, Russell opened the cabin door to the Q400 Turboprop and took off. In on-air traffic control recordings, Russel spoke with controllers who attempted to persuade him to make a safe landing.
Why Did He Steal The Plane?
During the inspection, the FBI officials did not identify any information that would suggest the theft of the aircraft was related to more comprehensive criminal activity or terrorist ideology related to the culprit, Richard.
Listing to the air traffic control recordings, we assume Richard wanted to fly the plane and become a pilot.
After completing the five hours of his duty, Richard made it out onto the tarmac in the airport’s cargo area and used a tow vehicle to push the propeller aircraft back onto a taxiway.