LATAM Airlines flight attendants had to force their way into a bathroom during mid-flight to stop a Chilean man from harming himself.
The plane was on its way from Auckland, New Zealand, to Santiago, Chile, on Friday but was forced to turn back after an hour. Many passengers were unaware as to why the crew was barging into the toilet, leading some to believe that their own safety was threatened.
As for the man who flight attendants were trying to help, Andrea Bastos, who was on the plane when it occurred, relayed the ordeal to her son Fabrizio Farra.
"He didn't want to go, then he said he did. Flight attendants had to break into the bathroom, then they dragged him to the kitchen area and tried to calm him down," Farra said on behalf of his mother, according to the DailyMail.
Passengers on board wished they'd been informed of the situation better.
Farra said of his mother, "She felt the airline could have been more honest. The flight was already late two hours so she was really tired of the whole situation by the time she got to Auckland."
Upon arriving back in New Zealand, the Chilean man was taken into custody but no action was taken by the police. He had been in New Zealand on a valid working holiday visa.
"The decision was made in line with established operational and safety protocols, designed to safeguard passenger welfare. The aircraft arrived safely in Auckland at 20:14 local time and was greeted by local authorities to escort said passenger. No harm was met by passengers or crew," a LATAM Airlines spokesperson said.
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