Delta flight from Paris forced to make emergency landing at remote Canadian airport after unruly passenger broke free of handcuffs
- The 34-year-old traveler was reportedly ‘violent’ during the flight and ‘wouldn’t calm down’ during the journey from Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris, France
- He was restrained by airline staff but managed to break free before five to six passengers jumped in to restrain him
- The plane landed at Stephenville Dymond Airport on the Canadian island of Newfoundland and the man was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
A Delta flight bound for Detroit, Michigan, was forced to make an emergency landing on a remote Canadian island after an unruly passenger broke free of his bonds.
The 34-year-old traveler was reportedly “violent” during the flight and “wouldn’t calm down” during the journey from Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, France.
He was restrained by airline personnel, but managed to break free before five to six passengers jumped in to restrain him.
The captain made an emergency diversion six hours into the flight and landed at Stephenville Dymond Airport on the Canadian island of Newfoundland around 3:35 pm.
The man was subsequently arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and footage of the interaction was shared online.
A Delta flight bound for Detroit, Michigan, was forced to make an emergency landing on a remote Canadian island after an unruly passenger broke free of his bonds
The 34-year-old traveler was reportedly ‘violent’ during the flight and ‘wouldn’t calm down’ during the journey from Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris, France
A clip of the incident shows him being marched down the aisle and stepping out of the Airbus A330-300 plane with 261 passengers on board.
“What am I under arrest for?” you hear him ask in the video.
Dena Haddad, a passenger on the Delta 97 flight, claimed the man had been “violent” during the trip and “wouldn’t calm down.”
“We wanted to get here as soon as possible. It was scary for a while,’ she told the local television channel WXYZ Detroit.
Another passenger said, “When we arrived in Canada and saw the police cars, we felt safe and well.”
And a third added: “He was ready to throw hands. The whole back of the plane was communicating with him.’
The flight then departed for Detroit 90 minutes after the man was removed from the plane.
He was restrained by airline staff but managed to break free before five to six passengers jumped in to restrain him
The plane landed at Stephenville Dymond Airport on the Canadian island of Newfoundland and the man was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
A Delta spokesperson said: “Delta has zero tolerance for unruly behavior, especially when it could jeopardize the safety of our customers and flight crew.
“This unruly customer was evacuated to Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador, and returned to the custody of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.”
Unruly passengers can compromise the safety of others on board a flight, so unplanned landings are not uncommon.
A United flight was forced to turn back three hours in April after a “disruptive” passenger sat in an attendant’s seat and started yelling at the crew.
In February, an American Airlines flight made an emergency landing after a passenger who had been refused a drink stormed towards the cockpit.
And a “drunken” and “aggressive” woman, aboard a flight bound for Las Vegas, was kicked off the plane last month for disorderly conduct and yelling at other passengers.