A passenger on a Delta flight has recalled the heartbreaking moment his plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Newfoundland after a man who was allegedly violent broke free from the crew who was holding him back.
Delta Flight 97 was en route to Detroit, Michigan from Paris, France when the captain announced it would be landing on the Canadian island at the private airport used during 9/11 due to an ‘unruly passenger’ .
Nicolas Fougere told Dailymail.com he was shocked and worried after hearing the announcement, saying he wondered how serious it must be that the plane landed well before its final destination.
“We knew something serious had happened, but we didn’t think it was so serious that someone had to be removed from the flight before arriving at the final destination,” he said. “I was very worried during that hour before landing. We were all relieved when he was taken off the plane.
The plane landed at Stephenville Dymond Airport on Friday afternoon and the 34-year-old passenger was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. His identity has not been revealed, it is unclear what charges he faces.
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Nicolas Fougere was on Delta Flight 97 from Paris, France to Detroit, Michigan when he was forced to make an emergency landing in Newfoundland due to an unruly passenger
Fougere shared a video with Dailymail.com of the man walking down the aisle and getting off the Airbus A330-300 plane which had 261 passengers on board
The plane landed at Stephenville Dymond Airport on Friday afternoon and the 34-year-old passenger was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. His identity has not been revealed, it is unclear what charges he faces
Fougere said the person sitting next to him on the plane tried to go to the bathroom when she saw the man arguing with another passenger. The crew told him to go to another bathroom.
The crew tried to restrain the man, who was reportedly ‘violent’ during the flight and ‘won’t calm down’ on the journey from Paris Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris, France.
But the man broke free from the restraints of the crew and attempted to flee down the aisle but was stopped by several passengers who tackled him.
“Who knows what would have happened if they hadn’t intervened,” he said. “I’m just so grateful for these people and for the crew.”
For the next hour, passengers on the Delta flight waited anxiously to land in Newfoundland.
“It was an hour, but it felt a bit longer,” Fougere said.
Stephenville Dymond Airport was a landing spot for planes on 9/11 after North American airspace was closed
The emergency diversion was made six hours into the flight and landed at Stephenville Dymond Airport on the Canadian island of Newfoundland around 3.35pm.
Fougere shared a video with Dailymail.com of the man walking down the aisle and getting off the Airbus A330-300 plane which had 261 passengers on board.
“Why am I under arrest? we hear him ask in the video.
Fougere said he also heard the man say to the other passengers in a somewhat sarcastical tone, “Oh, apparently I’m a threat to everyone on this plane.”
The man was led out of the plane and up the stairs where he was met and taken into custody by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Newfoundland resident Randy Alexander posted photos of the emergency landing showing authorities escorting the man out of the plane.
The flight then took off for Detroit about 90 minutes later much to the relief of the passengers.
Fougere said that despite the delays, his fellow travelers were just relieved the man got off the plane.
“Everyone on the plane is very understanding,” he said. “We were safe and that’s what counted.”
A Delta spokesperson said, “Delta has zero tolerance for unruly behavior, especially when it potentially compromises the safety of our customers and flight crew.”
“This unruly client was abducted from Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador, and returned to the custody of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.”
The emergency diversion was made six hours into the flight and landed at Stephenville Dymond Airport on the Canadian island of Newfoundland around 3.35pm.
More video from the flight showed the man exiting the plane on Friday
He was restrained by airline staff but managed to free himself before five to six passengers intervened to restrain him again.
Stephenville Dymond Airport in Newfoundland has made headlines before, including on 9/11, when several planes made unscheduled landings after North American airspace was closed. The city received around 3,000 passengers for a week after the attacks.
Unruly passengers can endanger the safety of others on board a flight, so unplanned landings are not uncommon.
A United flight was forced to turn back three hours into its journey in April after a ‘disruptive’ passenger sat in an attendant’s seat and began yelling at the crew.
In February, an American Airlines flight made an emergency landing after a passenger was denied a loaded drink to the cockpit.
And a ‘drunk’ and ‘aggressive’ woman on a flight to Las Vegas was ordered off the plane last month for disorderly behavior and yelled at other passengers.
