BALTIMORE — The number of sexual assault reports aboard airplanes has grown by nearly two-thirds in recent years, according to the FBI.
Sixty-three cases of in-flight sexual assault were reported to federal authorities in the last fiscal year, the FBI said. That's up from the 38 cases reported in the 2014 fiscal year, according to the agency, which has jurisdiction to investigate crimes on airplanes.
Most in-air sexual assault cases go unreported and involve unwanted touching — a felony that can result in prison time, the FBI said.
Incidents generally happen on long-haul flights when the cabin is dark, and victims typically report that they had been sleeping in the middle or window seats, often covered with a blanket or jacket, when they awoke to find their seatmate's hands inside their clothing or underwear, the FBI said.