Passenger jets seem to be experiencing an unusual spate of bizarre incidents these days. On a recent Copa Airlines flightfrom Brazil to Panama, these strange flight shenanigans reached a new level. On the flight, travelers severely beat up a fellow passenger after he attempted to open the plane’s emergency door mid-flight.
What started as a regular flight from Brasilia to Panama City quickly descended into chaos. The incident occurred 30 minutes before landing when an unidentified male passenger made a desperate dash towards the aircraft’s rear.
Eyewitnesses report that the man, armed with a plastic knife from his meal tray, attempted to take a flight attendant hostage in his misguided quest to open the emergency exit. Cristiano Carvalho, a 51-year-old photojournalist in the middle of the turmoil, recounted the terrifying moments to the New York Post.
“A flight attendant started screaming, and another tried to hold him back, but couldn’t because he was too strong,” Carvalho stated, vividly painting the initial panic that gripped the cabin.
Passengers Spring Into Action After Man Tries To Open Emergency Door
As the situation escalated, with the assailant moving past the warning signs and attempting to manipulate the door mechanism, fellow passengers realized the gravity of the threat. Several individuals sprang from their seats to confront the would-be hijacker in a display of collective bravery.
The ensuing struggle was intense. Carvalho described how the passengers initially struggled to subdue the man due to his considerable strength.
VÍDEO — Passageiro tenta abrir porta de avião em voo Brasília–Panamá; Caso aconteceu na manhã da terça-feira (5), minutos antes de aeronave pousar na Cidade do Panamá. Passageiro foi detido pelas autoridades. pic.twitter.com/gDTyB5fwg3
— Nelson Carlos dos Santos Belchior (@NelsonCarlosd15) November 5, 2024
However, the tide quickly turned as more people joined the effort to restrain him. “They beat him a lot until he almost lost consciousness,” Carvalho grimly reported. Viral footage circulating on social media platforms shows the aftermath of the scuffle, with the bloodied passenger restrained by his fellow travelers as crew members secured his wrists with zip ties.
Upon landing in Panama, national security personnel boarded the plane and took the subdued passenger into custody, handing him over to judicial authorities for further action.
