An international flight bound for Texas was forced to divert to Seattle after an unruly passenger attempted to open the plane’s emergency exit doors.
Airport officials said the man, who attempted to open the doors midflight before being restrained by a fellow passenger, was suffering from a medical crisis. As the incident occurred with four hours of the flight remaining, the Houston-bound plane touched down in Seattle to deliver the man to police, an official with the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport told Fox News.
The man was prevented from opening the doors by two military veterans who were passengers on the plane, per the outlet. They zip-tied the unruly passenger to his seat for the rest of the flight before police boarded in Seattle to escort him off the plane.
The incident occurred during an All Nippon Airways flight early Saturday morning.
“Today, All Nippon Airways flight NH114 departing Tokyo Haneda Airport for Houston Intercontinental Airport was diverted inflight to Seattle due to an unruly passenger,” the airline said in a statement.
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The airline added that a second unidentified person was also removed from the flight for “unruly behavior” while on the tarmac before the plane departed from Seattle to Houston.
“While on the tarmac in Seattle, a second passenger became unruly. Both were removed from the flight by the Port of Seattle Police. The flight to Houston continued without incident,” the statement continued. “The safety of our passengers and crew are our top priority and we applaud the efforts of local law enforcement for their support.”
