A terrifying incident unfolded this week aboard a Copa Airlines flight from Brazil to Panama, when an unruly passenger attempted to open the emergency exit door mid-flight—just 30 minutes before the plane was scheduled to land. Armed with a plastic knife from his meal tray, the man rushed to the back of the aircraft and tried to take a flight attendant hostage in a bid to force open the door. However, quick-thinking passengers were able to subdue him before disaster struck.
Attempted Hijacking Thwarted by Quick-Acting Passengers
The disturbing event was captured in a chilling video shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The footage shows a chaotic scene as passengers wrestled with the man, managing to restrain him before he could carry out his dangerous plan. In another video, authorities are seen boarding the aircraft upon landing, escorting the bloodied passenger off the plane in handcuffs.
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
Photojournalist Cristiano Carvalho, who was onboard and witnessed the incident, described the panic that gripped the flight. “A flight attendant started screaming, and another tried to hold him back, but couldn’t because he was too strong,” Carvalho recalled. “He went past the back emergency door after the warning, then started moving forward and trying to open it.”
Brave Passengers Step In to Take Control
As the man attempted to reach the emergency exit, a group of courageous passengers jumped into action. Despite struggling against his strength, they managed to overpower him in a violent confrontation. Carvalho described how the altercation became so intense that the passengers “beat him a lot until he almost lost consciousness.”
Despite the panic and chaos, the quick intervention of these fellow passengers prevented what could have been a far worse scenario.
Copa Airlines’ Response: Praise for Crew and Passengers
Copa Airlines confirmed that upon landing in Panama, the flight was met by a national security team, who removed the man from the plane. The airline issued a statement praising both the flight crew and the passengers for their quick response in ensuring the safety of everyone on board.
“The crew acted quickly and, with the assistance of some passengers, applied the necessary safety protocols to control the situation until landing in Panama,” said a Copa Airlines spokesperson. “Thanks to the professionalism of the crew, the safety of the flight and passengers was protected.”
The suspect was handed over to judicial authorities in Panama for further investigation.
A Troubling Pattern in Air Travel
This unsettling incident comes just days after a separate assault on a United Airlines flight, where a man violently attacked a deaf, non-verbal passenger while they were asleep. The suspect, Everett Chal Nelson, was charged with assault, and if convicted, could face up to a year in prison.
Both incidents highlight a growing trend of disruptive behavior on commercial flights, raising concerns about passenger safety and the need for increased vigilance by airlines and crew.
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