Violent passenger forces holiday jet to do a U-turn back to UK

PA

A Thomas Cook flight to the Canary Islands has been forced to do a U-turn back to Manchester after a passenger became so aggressive that he had to be pinned down by five people.

According to reports in the Manchester Evening News, a 50-year old man became involved in a violent argument with an elderly man - believed to be his father - before threatening other passengers and staff.

As the argument worsened, fellow passengers tried to calm the man down, but instead he became even more agressive, and began swinging wild punches, witnesses told the newspaper.

Eventually five stewards and passengers had to hold him down and, 50 minutes into the flight, the pilot took the decision to do an emergency U-turn and go back to Manchester.

The man was arrested after the plane landed, and the remaining 205 passengers on flight TCX2014 four hours later.

One passenger said the arrested man appeared to have been drinking heavily.

Only days before the incident, two air passengers were arrested at Manchester Airport after breaking into a fight over a reclined seat.

The latest incident is one of an increasing number in which passengers suspected of being drunk have caused security issues.

Last August, a BMI flight to London had to turn back to Russia after a woman began performing an erotic dance in the cabin shortly after take off. According to the Moscow Times, the woman was drunk.

During the same month, a BA passenger who had reportedly been drinking allegedly brandished a shard of glass and threatened the flight crew. She has since been jailed.

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