A passenger caused panic on a transatlantic flight after allegedly attempting to open an emergency exit mid-air.
The shocking incident unfolded aboard Plus Ultra Flight 701 from Madrid to Caracas on February 28, when the Airbus A330 was cruising over the Atlantic.
Eyewitnesses say the man suddenly jumped from his seat and lunged toward an emergency exit, yanking at the door lever.
Shocked passengers screamed as flight attendants rushed to intervene.
Footage from the scene shows the man standing at the exit while cabin crew members wrestled him away.
Several passengers and flight attendants then worked together to subdue him, tackling him to the floor and restraining him with his hands behind his back.
He remained under close watch for the remainder of the journey.
A passenger (circled) is restrained after appearing to try and open the door of a plane in flight
Passengers and flight attendants dived onto the man and tried to restrain him
He was wrestled to the ground by several people
The Airbus A330 was soaring over the Atlantic Ocean and was about halfway through its journey to the Venezuelan capital Caracas on 28 February when the incident unfolded.
At least one flight attendant suffered injuries as they tried to restrain the man.
Despite the alarming event, the plane landed safely in Caracas ahead of schedule, where authorities detained the suspect upon arrival.
A Plus Ultra spokesperson told NeedToKnow: ‘A passenger began to feel restless, annoying the person in the next seat with shouts and slapping him while he was asleep.
‘The crew acted quickly, calming the situation between the two and relocating the passenger to another seat where he could not disturb anyone.
‘Moments later, this individual suddenly went to one of the doors of the plane trying to manipulate it.
‘Immediately, our cabin crew subdued the passenger and, following the action protocol, secured him in the back of the plane until he reached the destination.
‘At all times he was accompanied by two people from the crew, lying on the ground and attended to avoid any possible altercation.’
They added: ‘One of our cabin crew suffered a partial fracture of the fibula for which he has already been treated and which will keep him out for a few weeks.’
A flight attendant is seen intervening as the man fiddled with the door
Several people held him down
He was restrained and monitored until landing, at which point he was arrested
It is unclear what prompted the passenger to attempt to open the emergency exit.
While mid-air emergency exits may seem vulnerable, modern aircraft like the Airbus A330 are designed to prevent them from being opened at cruising altitude.
The immense difference between cabin and external air pressure effectively seals the doors, with some aircraft also featuring flight lock mechanisms to prevent tampering.
However, rare incidents have occurred.
In 2023, a passenger aboard an Asiana Airlines Airbus A321 managed to open an exit door as the plane descended to land in South Korea.
Plus Ultra, a Spanish carrier, operates scheduled flights between Madrid and Latin America.
