'The three became belligerent': Alleged disturbance prompts international flight to divert to Houston

An alleged disturbance aboard an international flight between Canada and Mexico prompted a plane to divert to Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). 

AeroMéxico flight 617 from Toronto to Mexico City was en route when passengers purportedly acted belligerent after being refused alcohol, Yahoo News reported. 

The flight landed at IAH at approximately 3:30 a.m.

According to the website, the passengers in question were two men and a woman.

The three also allegedly refused to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols on the aircraft.

"The three became belligerent, wouldn’t put their masks back on, and were rude and confrontational with flight staff," an unnamed Houston Police Department spokesperson told Houston CBS affiliate KHOU. "The flight attendant advised the pilot who then made the decision to divert the flight to Bush Intercontinental."

The passengers were under the influence at the time of the incident, the station reported. 

After the flight landed at Bush Airport, two of the passengers were taken to a sobering center while the other was turned over to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection because he wasn't permitted to enter the country, according to KHOU.

Houston Airport System spokesperson Augusto Bernal said the flight continued on to Mexico City after the passengers were removed.