A passenger onboard an Air Canada flight jumped off the plane before it took off for Dubai, as per a report in the New York Post. The passenger "boarded the aircraft normally" at Toronto Pearson International Airport on January 8 but later opened the cabin door instead of sitting on his seat.
He fell 20 feet to the tarmac and sustained injuries after the incident. The Peel Regional Police and other emergency services were called to the scene. According to the Air Canada website, the incident caused a nearly six-hour delay in the Boeing 747's takeoff as staff members attended to the passenger and looked into the situation.
A spokesperson for the airline, who spoke to Global News, added that an investigation is underway and "all our approved boarding and cabin operating procedures were followed." An official from the Greater Toronto Airports Authority also verified that the organisation was aware of the unusual occurrence. "We worked with the airline, Peel Regional Police and Peel EMS to provide support and to determine the immediate needs," the spokesperson added.
The extent of his injuries is unknown. It remains unclear whether the passenger was arrested for his disruptive behaviour.
Meanwhile, a few days ago, a 16-year-old passenger attacked a family member on an Air Canada flight. The unusual situation resulted in a drastic detour and a three-hour wait for the passengers.
Air Canada Flight 137 was en route from Toronto to Calgary when the incident took place, as per a press statement issued by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Winnipeg Richardson International Airport was notified of an aircraft diversion to Winnipeg at 12:20 p.m. local time, according to police, because of "an unruly passenger on board who had assaulted a passenger."
According to the authorities, the 16-year-old was restrained by fellow travellers and airline staff. They also stated that the family member received treatment for "minor physical injuries" during the flight and the teenager was detained and transferred to the hospital for a medical examination. No other injuries were reported and the motive behind the attack remains unclear.
