Just 10 minutes after a Delta flight landed in San Francisco on Saturday, federal agents in plain clothes stormed the cockpit and arrested its pilot, Rustom Bhagwagar. Footage of the dramatic arrest has gone viral on social media as passengers were left stunned by the unexpected turn of events.
Who is Rustom Bhagwagar?
Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office identified Rustom Bhagwagar as a suspect in a case of sex crimes against a child. Bhagwagar is a 34-year-old pilot for Delta Air Lines who is originally from Florida.
According to a USA Today report, he was booked on five counts of oral copulation with a child under 10 years of age. He was arrested as part of an investigation into “sex crimes against a child” that began in April. He is currently being held in lieu of $5 million bail.
Dramatic video of arrest goes viral
On Saturday, July 26, Delta Air Lines flight 2809 from Minneapolis to San Francisco had just landed in San Francisco when plainclothed officers entered the cockpit to arrest Bhagwagar.
According to a report in View From The Wing, a passenger said that 10 officers, including Homeland Security Investigations officers, “stormed to the front” of the aircraft as soon as the Boeing 757 arrived and “grabbed/arrested” one of the pilots.
{{/usCountry}}According to a report in View From The Wing, a passenger said that 10 officers, including Homeland Security Investigations officers, “stormed to the front” of the aircraft as soon as the Boeing 757 arrived and “grabbed/arrested” one of the pilots.
{{/usCountry}}The other pilot, who was not arrested, said “he had no idea what just happened” when questioned by crew and passengers. He was not given a heads-up about the arrest for fear that he would tip off Bhagwagar.
Describing the scene to The San Francisco Chronicle, a passenger onboard the flight wrote: “They stormed the cockpit, cuffed the co-pilot, arrested him, walked him down the aisle, and ushered him off the plane through the cabin doors located between first and coach.”
The events that led to the arrest
In a Facebook post, the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office said detectives had been conducting an investigation since April 2025 after receiving a report of sex crimes against a child. A Ramey arrest warrant was later secured for the suspect.
A Ramey Warrant is an arrest warrant issued by a judge in California before formal criminal charges are filed.
“Through the investigation, it was learned that the suspect was an airline pilot and that he was due to fly into San Francisco International Airport on the evening of Saturday, July 26, 2025,” the Sheriff’s Office said in its Facebook post.
“At about 9:35 PM, Sheriff’s Office detectives, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, boarded the plane to arrest the suspect who is identified as 34-year-old Rustom Bhagwagar of Florida.
“He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on five counts of oral copulation with a child under 10 years of age. He is being held in lieu of $5 million bail.”
Delta Air Lines’ statement
Delta said in a statement that Bhagwagar has been suspended, pending investigation. The airline said it is cooperating with law enforcement investigation.
"We are appalled by reports of the charges related to the arrest," the airline said.