During Sunday’s incident at New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport, a man boarded a Southwest Airlines flight and went onto the wing after opening the emergency exit door, according to investigators.
A 38-year-old guy jumped out of an airplane after opening the emergency exit door, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, which led them to respond to a disturbance at the airport. The individual was apprehended by ground workers and detained until the arrival of deputies; the plane was still at the gate and had not taken off when the event occurred.
According to CNN, fellow traveler Zed Webster was on edge because he overheard what sounded like an argument between two people seated across from him. According to him, he pulled out his phone and started filming what happened.
Webster stated that the passenger rushed out the window and unlocked the emergency exit door the second he hit the record button. His words were tinged with fear.
Several passengers race through the jetway as Webster’s camera captures them escaping the plane. Subsequently, the footage reveals an individual who seems to be an airline worker leaping from the jetway onto the tarmac to lend a hand to their colleagues in subduing the passenger.
The passenger turned out to be “incoherent and not fully aware of his surroundings” when deputies approached him on the tarmac, according to the sheriff’s office.
Reportedly, the man was taken to a nearby hospital for assessment as officers suspected a mental health crisis; he is still in the hospital, as stated by the sheriff’s office.
“The man was not found with any weapons of any type, and there is no indication that he left anything on the plane,” the statement stated. “The probe has been sent to federal authorities, but he is not anticipated to face any criminal charges locally. Fortunately, nobody got hurt while this was happening.
According to an email sent by Southwest Airlines spokesperson Chris Perry to CNN, the company expressed gratitude for the quick response from both flight and ground staff and expressed regret to customers for any disruption caused.
According to Perry, the flight changed planes after a delay. The plane landed in Atlanta just before midnight, according to Webster, after a two-hour delay.
