An All Nippon Airways (ANA) flight headed to Texas from Tokyo was forced to make an emergency landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Saturday after a male passenger attempted to open two exit doors during the flight. According to the police, the man, who has not been identified, was “having a medical crisis.” He was restrained by the crew and passengers before being taken to hospital for medical evaluation after the plane landed. It’s currently unclear whether he’ll face any charges.
ANA Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Seattle
The plane — a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner — departed Tokyo at approximately 10:30 a.m. local time on May 24, bound for George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Following the disturbance, it landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport at approximately 4 a.m. The plane reached its destination in Houston, Texas, at 12:40 p.m., four hours after its scheduled arrival time. “The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority, and we applaud the efforts of local law enforcement for their support,” ANA said in a statement.
While the plane was waiting on the tarmac of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, a second passenger started acting in a disorderly manner. According to the FBI, the person punched a bathroom door after getting annoyed due to the diversion. Spokesperson Chris Guizlo told CNN passenger was “removed for unruly behavior before the plane departed SEA for Houston.” He added, “This was unrelated, and the passenger was deplaned without incident.”
Unruly Passenger Behavior
It’s not the first time this year that a passenger has tried to open a door on a plane midair. A similar incident occurred on board a Jetstar flight from Bali to Melbourne in April. The aircraft was forced to turn around while flying over the Indian Ocean. In November 2024, passengers on an American Airlines flight from Milwaukee restrained and tied up a man who attempted to force open a door and injured a flight attendant while doing so. He allegedly said he “needed to exit the aircraft now.”
