The wife of JetBlue pilot Clayton Osbon has issued a statement thanking crew and passengers of the plane “for their effective yet compassionate handling of the situation.” Clayton Osbon is the pilot whose erratic and potentially dangerous behavior at 30,000 feet on a New York to Vegas flight last week caused his co-pilot to lock him out of the cockpit. Osbon, who was eventually restrained by passengers, fiddled with controls and yelled about Jesus, 9/11, Iraq, Iran, and terrorists, and claimed the plane was going down. “It is our belief, as Clayton’s family, that while he was clearly distressed, he was not intentionally violent toward anyone,” said Connye Obson, Clayton’s wife, who requested privacy for the family. “We know you were placed in an awful situation and we appreciate your ability to respond professionally.” She went on to thank the Texas doctors and staff who treated him, as well as family and friends who have been supportive. Clayton Osbon faces criminal charges and is being held by the FBI.
