Moments of high tension were lived on board a Frontier Airlines flight after a passenger allegedly intended to open an exit while requiring them to let him down.
The incident happened at Flight 3345, which had taken off from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
The situation forced the pilots to change the route and conduct an emergency landing at Miami International Airport, where security agents were expecting the arrival of the aircraft.
The passenger would have been required to leave his plane.
The suspect was identified by authorities as Juan Gabriel Reyes, 51.
According to police officers summoned by U.S. means, the incident began about 45 minutes after his takeoff, while Reyes stated that his intention was to leave his plane.
The man allegedly ignored his crew's instructions and headed for an emergency exit, where he would have been trying to manipulate his door.
The flight assistants acted quickly and ordered him to return to his seat, but the situation continued to escalate.
He would have been headed for his cabin.
After his departure from his exit, Reyes allegedly walked to the front of his plane and tried to get close to his cabin.
According to his report of his arrest, he would have repeatedly pushed his cabin door with his body while his crew was trying to keep him under control.
The conduct of the passenger generated concern among those on board, especially as the plane was still at thousands of feet high.
Passengers helped to secure him
Several passengers decided to intervene to assist crew members.
They included a man with an experience with martial arts, who helped to keep his suspect and avoid his continuing his movement through his cabin.
During his fight, Reyes had also allegedly assaulted a flight attendant who was out of service and had helped to control his situation.
Videos recorded inside the plane show several people around the passenger and keeping him attached as his aircraft was headed for Miami.
The flight was moved from an emergency
Due to the gravity of the incident, the pilots decided to divert the flight to Miami International Airport.
The aircraft landed safely soon before midnight. Upon arrival at the terminal, Miami-Dade County agents entered and withdrew his suspect.
Reyes was first arrested on a local assault charge and later put under investigation by the federal authorities.
The plane continued its journey hours later
Frontier Airlines reported that the flight could continue to Chicago several hours after the passenger was removed from the plane.
No serious injuries were reported among passengers and crew members.
The authorities continue to conduct an examination of the circumstances of the incident while the suspect faces charges related to interference with an air crew and an alleged assault.
Images get viral
The recordings by passengers began to move quickly on social networks and have some of the operation to keep man under control.
The video has generated numerous reactions, especially with the participation of passengers who decided to help the crew at an emergency.
The case once again looks at incidents caused by disruptive passengers and at the importance of following safety instructions during a flight.
