Man tries to open jet door, A friend tried to pull the man away from the door on the early morning flight from Majorca to Newcastle but was pushed off.
The 22-year-old man carried on trying to wrench open the emergency exit, yelling: “It’s OK, we are just on a simulator.”
The plane rocked from side to side as air stewards and other passengers wrestled him to the ground and restrained him with eight seat belts.
Children were left in tears and at least one woman suffered a panic attack as the pilot diverted to Gatwick where police arrested the man.
The mid-air drama occurred 45 minutes after Thomson flight TOM1269 took off from Palma on Wednesday.
The lights were dimmed and some passengers were dozing while others ate breakfast when the man leapt from his seat.
A 28-year-old passenger said: “It was absolutely mental.
“Suddenly the lights came on and the air hostesses were shouting and we could see a lad trying to open the emergency door.
“The plane started shaking. I thought it was going to go down. His friends tried to pull him away from the door and he started punching them and saying: ‘It’s OK we are just on a simulator’.
“He was off his head. Then this other guy came from nowhere and smacked him in the head. The plane went down really quickly, it was quite a dodgy landing. All our ears were popping.
“Then as soon as it came to a stop about six cops ran on board and arrested him.”
Dan Alberts, 20, from Gateshead, who was also on the flight, added: “I heard one air hostess shout to the man that he could have killed everyone on board.
“We just heard a big bang and then he started going for the door.
“One of the girls I was with started having a panic attack and there were quite a few people crying.
“There were a lot of kids on the plane screaming their heads off.”
Gavin McCallum, 35, from Billingham, Teesside, was on the flight with his wife Sarah, 30, and children Freya, three, and Jack, two.
He said: “It was terrifying but the cabin crew were fantastic. The pilot told me he had been flying for 20 years and that is the only time anything like that has happened.”
After police took statements from passengers and the plane was refuelled, the holidaymakers were able to continue their return journey to Newcastle. mpu
A spokeswoman for Thomson Airways said: “In accordance with our procedures, the local authorities were notified of this incident and the aircraft was met by the police upon landing at Gatwick where the passenger was removed from the flight.
“We would like to reassure customers that it would not have been possible for this passenger to open the door whilst the aircraft was in the air.
“We would also like to reassure our customers that incidents of this type are extremely rare.”
A Sussex Police spokesman said a 22-year-old man from Ashington, Northumberland, had been arrested and was being on questioned on suspicion of endangering the safety of an aircraft.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Man tries to open jet door
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment