An American Airways flight from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., made a speedy emergency touchdown in Kansas Metropolis, Mo., on Sunday afternoon after an unruly passenger tried to interrupt into the cockpit after which tried to open an exit door, witnesses stated.
The passenger was subdued by crew members and different passengers. He was taken into custody after the flight landed.
In an announcement, American Airways stated the flight, American Airways Flight 1775, landed safely in Kansas Metropolis, the place legislation enforcement officers met the airplane. Charles A. Dayoub, an F.B.I. particular agent in cost in Kansas Metropolis, stated in a statement that the passenger was taken into custody after “interfering with the flight crew.”
Stacy Day, a spokeswoman for the airline, stated that the passenger was “in the end subdued by our crew and with the assistance of different passengers.”
Carlos Rojas, 33, was among the many passengers who intervened. He stated he had been dozing off whereas sitting a row behind the first-class part when the lights within the airplane have been abruptly turned again on. He took his headphones off and observed a battle between flight attendants and a passenger within the entrance of the airplane. A close-by passenger enlisted Mr. Rojas, an Air Drive reservist, to help the flight attendants.
The person on the heart of the altercation, who gave the impression to be middle-aged, appeared distraught and paranoid, Mr. Rojas stated. Earlier within the flight, he added, others noticed the passenger tempo the aisles.
“Once I went up, it appeared just like the man was attempting to open the outside door of the airplane to the surface,” Mr. Rojas stated. “So we have been sort of protecting him from doing that and simply attempting to subdue him and be sure that he was taken down and everyone was OK.”
Mouaz Moustafa, a passenger from Washington, described a chaotic scene because the airplane began descending into Kansas Metropolis with out warning after the battle with the passenger.
He stated the person tried to get into the cockpit after which tried to exit by way of the principle door earlier than he was held down by a number of passengers.
“A flight attendant ran to the again of the airplane and obtained the espresso pot and continues to bash the man on the top,” Mr. Moustafa stated in an interview because the airplane was being held on the tarmac. The person was “bleeding profusely,” he added.
“I truthfully thought immediately I’d die,” he stated.
Finally, it took three flight attendants and three passengers, together with Mr. Rojas, to restrain the person, transfer him to the ground after which bind his palms and ankles with tape and zip ties supplied by the flight attendants, Mr. Rojas stated. The passenger remained on the ground for about quarter-hour till the airplane landed and the authorities collected him, Mr. Rojas stated.
As Mr. Moustafa, 37, was being interviewed by telephone from his seat, the pilot got here by and talked to the passengers about how the person had tried and did not open the cockpit door.
Disturbances on flights have surged in the course of the coronavirus pandemic, and most of the incidents have concerned passengers who disagree with masks mandates.
Final yr, the Federal Aviation Administration performed greater than 1,000 investigations of unruly passengers — greater than within the earlier seven years mixed.
Karen Maria Alston, who lives in Washington, stated she was sitting within the seventeenth row of the airplane watching the film “Dune” when she noticed some males rush into the first-class part. She was not in a position to see what was occurring, she stated, however the commotion and the airplane’s ensuing descent have been horrifying and “extraordinarily worrying.”
“I would like a drink and I’m so grateful,” Ms. Alston stated in a textual content message after the airplane landed in Kansas Metropolis.
She stated that passengers waited on the airplane as officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation performed interviews with witnesses.
Then, informed to disembark, the passengers waited for about three hours within the Kansas Metropolis airport, unwinding from their tense shared expertise and celebrating the three passengers who intervened.
Mr. Rojas and different passengers huddled round somewhat tv by a bar, unwinding and watching the Tremendous Bowl, “simply making the perfect out of the scenario,” he stated.
Three hours later, they have been again on the airplane headed to Washington.
