Sunwing Plane Bound for Cuba Returns to Montreal Under Fighter Jet Escort
Airlines & Airports Delta Air Lines Brian Simpson July 07, 2017
The Toronto Star and other media outlets are reporting that a Sunwing Airlines flight, enroute to Cayo Coco, Cuba, was forced to turn around and return to Montreal, under a US fighter jet escort, after a Quebec man caused a disturbance on board.
Sunwing Airlines flight WG604 was in flight over the U.S. when the man, Charalabos Nassios, caused a disturbance, likely alcohol-related, on board. A pair of U.S. Air Force F-15 jets were scrambled from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts and intercepted the aircraft near Albany, New York to escort the aircraft back to Montreal.
Nassios has been charged with “assault, uttering threats, and committing an act of violence against a person that is likely to endanger the safety of an aircraft.”, said the Toronto Star.
This is the second such incident on board an aircraft in a 24-hour period. A Delta Air Lines flight bound for Beijing, China was forced to return to Washington's Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Thursday after a man allegedly attacked a flight attendant.
"Flight 129 returned to Seattle following a security incident with a passenger. The passenger was restrained onboard and was removed from the flight by law enforcement without further incident when the aircraft arrived back in Seattle," Delta confirmed in a statement.
According to Seattle's KIRO 7, the incident occurred roughly 45 minutes into the flight when a 23-year-old man seated in first class began pacing up and down the cabin aisle before attempting to open the exit door. He then punched the flight attendant who tried to stop him.
A serious altercation then took place as crew and passengers attempted to restrain the man.
"They broke two bottles of wine on his head. I tried to choke him and he just threw me off like a rag doll," said an unidentified passenger.
The man was arrested in Seattle but continued to cause a disturbance as he was led through the airport.
After airport and FBI officials determined there was no threat to national security, Delta Flight 129 took off again for Beijing without incident Thursday night.
Patrick Clarke contributed to this story.
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