Videos have emerged on social media of passengers fighting off the man who tried to “hijack” a domestic flight in Mexico.
A footage shows the 31-year-old accused, identified only as Mario, reportedly a father of two, surrounded by co-passengers near the cockpit of the aircraft.
The suspect was seen holding a female flight attendant before attempting to escape through the plane’s door. However, he was swiftly apprehended by a passenger amidst screams from children and other travellers.
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The Airbus A320 aircraft, which took off at 7:17 am local time, was bound for Tijuana in the northwest from Leon in central Mexico. However, 45 minutes into the journey, the flight made an emergency landing at the Guadaljara International Airport.
An elderly passenger, who played a key role in subduing the would-be hijacker, spoke to journalists at the El Bajio airport in Leon.
“I was able to convince him to turn himself in peacefully, asking him to let go of the attendant and give it up for the sake of his wife and children. Everyone was scared and panicked. He too was. He was demanding they take us to San Diego (US) so he could feel safe,” the senior citizen said in Spanish, according to The Times of India.
As per Mexico’s Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection, the suspect claimed to have received death threats, warning him against going to Tijuana. He was detained after the flight’s emergency landing.
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Volaris, the airline involved in the episode, later said all passengers and crew were unharmed and the flight resumed its journey after the man’s removal. Legal proceedings have been initiated to ensure appropriate legal consequences, the low-cost carrier added.
