In a shocking mid-air incident, a Copa Airlines passenger was restrained and beaten by fellow travelers after trying to open the emergency exit with a plastic knife during a flight from Brazil to Panama, reported by the New York Post. The disturbance unfolded 30 minutes before landing when the man reportedly rushed to the back of the plane, using the knife to threaten a flight attendant and attempting to open the door.
A video shared on X captures the dramatic moment when passengers took matters into their own hands, subduing the unruly traveler and preventing a potential catastrophe. Another clip shows authorities boarding the plane upon landing in Panama, leading the bloodied man away in handcuffs.
Photojournalist Cristiano Carvalho, who witnessed the event, described the chaos: “A flight attendant started screaming, and another tried to hold him back, but couldn’t because he was too strong.” Carvalho recounted how passengers eventually overpowered the man after a violent struggle, saying, “They beat him a lot until he almost lost consciousness.”
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
Copa Airlines commended both the crew and passengers for their quick actions to secure the safety of everyone onboard. “The crew acted quickly and, with the assistance of some passengers, applied necessary safety protocols to control the situation until landing in Panama,” a spokesperson stated.
This incident comes just days after another violent altercation on a United Airlines flight in the U.S., where a man attacked a deaf and nonverbal passenger, leaving the cabin spattered with blood.