A JetBlue passenger opened an emergency exit and deployed the slide while the plane was taxiing at Boston’s Logan Airport on Tuesday night.
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According to witnesses per CBS News, the man had been arguing with his girlfriend before opening the door around 7:30 p.m. on Flight 161. The Airbus A320 was en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
There were no reports of injuries.
A JetBlue spokesperson reported that a passenger unexpectedly opened an overwing exit for unknown reasons, but remained on the plane.
Massachusetts State Police reported that troopers responded to a disturbance aboard an aircraft after it entered the active taxiway. One individual was taken into custody.
“Shortly before takeoff, a passenger who wanted to deplane opened an aircraft door suddenly and without warning,” police said in a statement per CBS News. “Other passengers restrained the individual until troopers arrived on scene to detain them for further questioning.”
The unidentified passenger is set to face charges and will appear for arraignment in East Boston District Court on Wednesday.
An Eyewitness Describes Seeing the Man Attempting to Open the Plane’s Emergency Exit
Fred Wynn, a passenger on the plane, spoke with WBZ-TV, describing how the man, accompanied by his girlfriend, was seated directly behind him.
“Boyfriend and girlfriend were arguing behind me,” Wynn told the outlet, per CBS News. “Boyfriend got mad, got up walked down the center aisle, grabbed the emergency door, ripped it off, completely off. FBI agent tackled him, [and] handcuffed him. Shortly after, state police came on board and took him off.”
Meanwhile, other passengers on other flights reported experiencing delays as a result of the incident. Tim Wahl, who was arriving in Boston from Phoenix, was one such flyer.
“They just said there was a disabled plane on the runway, which was a little concerning, never heard that before,” Wahl said.
Wahl’s flight was delayed, circling above Boston before finally landing. Upon arrival, he immediately noticed the chaos unfolding around him.
“We flew over the plane that was stopped. There was a bunch of police outside. Apparently, somebody deployed the emergency slide. Wild,” Wahl explained.
According to state police, initial reports suggest that the incident was isolated and posed no risk to public safety. The FAA is currently conducting an investigation.
The incident follows another alarming incident involving a JetBlue flight. Two bodies were found in the landing gear of a JetBlue plane that flew from New York to Florida, the airline revealed Tuesday.