Quick thinking by passengers may have saved the day after a man on a Copa Airlines flight tried to pry open the plane's emergency door mid-flight. The struggle that followed is seen in video footage circulating online, where the man was beaten and left covered in blood.
The incident occurred on a flight from Brazil to Panama City on Tuesday morning. New York Post Just 30 minutes before the plane was due to land, an unnamed man allegedly ran up to a flight attendant at the back of the plane and tried to hold her hostage with a plastic knife from her lunch tray.
Photojournalist Cristiano Carvalho told the publication: “One flight attendant started screaming and another tried to hold her but couldn't because she was too strong.” “Upon warning, he passed the rear emergency door. Then he moved forward and tried to open the door.”
At that moment, the man's fellow passengers took action to prevent the man from opening the door. You can see this situation in the images published by the Brazilian news agency below. Coluna Esplanada.
As a tragedy: Reaching the emergency gate in Brazil and passing through a secure gate to return home to Panamá (5). The crossings continue and there are cops without a target pic.twitter.com/cq125B89WB
— Coluna Esplanada (@colunaesplanada) November 5, 2024
In another photo, the man's face is covered in blood and what happened after the beating can be seen. Carvalho said he was beaten “until he almost lost consciousness.” When subdued, he was said to have secured crew members' wrists with zip ties.
Photo of Brazilian Copa Airlines in Panama not passing through, continuing the crossing. Suddenly you open a door to an emergency door. pic.twitter.com/Rjboxajgj9
— Coluna Esplanada (@colunaesplanada) November 5, 2024
It was reported that after landing, the man was taken off the plane in handcuffs by the authorities. In a statement, Copa Airlines praised passengers and crew for helping to bring the situation under control.
“The national security team entered the plane and removed the passenger and took him to judicial authorities,” the airline wrote. “The crew acted quickly and, with the help of some passengers, implemented the necessary safety protocols to control the situation until we landed in Panama. Thanks to the professionalism of the crew, the safety of the flight and the passengers was maintained.”