Police intervened on an airplane at Heathrow Airport following an incident where a passenger allegedly assailed a flight attendant and attempted to open the aircraft door. The scene unfolded as the Saudia Airlines plane landed at the bustling London hub. Law enforcement officers arrested a man on suspicion of various charges, including endangering an aircraft, assaulting two crew members, behaving disruptively towards the crew, and damaging the aircraft.
Upon landing, airport personnel swiftly deployed stairs to allow police access to the plane. Witnesses described a significant response with multiple fire trucks, police cars, ambulances, and airport emergency teams present. The episode occurred on Flight SV119, which had arrived at Heathrow from Jeddah around 1pm.
According to reports, a passenger allegedly hit a staff member after a dispute onboard, then attempted to open the aircraft door while the plane was taxiing on the runway. The pilot halted the plane, prompting an emergency response after the passenger refused to wait to disembark until the plane had stopped.
An eyewitness recounted the chaotic and frightening atmosphere onboard, particularly for families, as the disruptive passenger lashed out at the crew in a bid to disembark prematurely. The flight eventually departed from the Saudi capital slightly behind schedule, with a total flight time of approximately six hours.
A spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police confirmed the incident, stating that a 33-year-old man was apprehended for the aforementioned offenses and has been released pending further investigation.
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