Video shows police removing 'disruptive' passenger from Toronto-bound overseas flight
Video has surfaced of the tense moment a passenger on a Toronto-bound international flight was removed by police after the plane was forced to change course due to his “disruptive” behaviour.
In video of the incident obtained by CTV News Toronto, a man on the packed flight from London’s Heathrow airport can be heard screaming as Montreal police officers board the plane during the unplanned stop and escort him off in handcuffs.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The passenger who shot the video, who asked not to be identified, said the man’s removal came after he was restrained to his seat by flight attendants where he “kicked and screamed” for over an hour.
“I believe he damaged a seat while he was restrained. A passenger that was near him had to be relocated while this occurred for his safety,” she said in an email, adding it’s unclear what led to the passenger’s seemingly erratic behavior.
In a statement issued to CTV News Toronto, a spokesperson for Air Canada, which was operating the flight, confirmed the plane diverted to Montreal Saturday evening “as a safety precaution due to a disruptive passenger.”
“Authorities met the aircraft and, after the individual was deplaned, it carried on to its final destination of Toronto,” the spokesperson said.
Air Canada said there were 381 customers on the Boeing 777 aircraft at the time.
It’s unclear what charges, if any, the removed passenger will face as a result of the incident.
CTV News Toronto has reached out to Montreal police for more information about the passenger’s removal but has not yet received a response.
Montreal police officers remove a passenger who Air Canada said was being disruptive on a nearly eight-hour flight from London's Heathrow airport to Toronto Pearson.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality alerts issued as wildfire smoke spreads east from Western Canada
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
When you have a moment's notice to evacuate, what do you take?
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
LIVE UPDATES Michael Cohen will face a bruising cross-examination by Trump's lawyers at the hush money trial
Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe returns to the witness stand Tuesday for a bruising round of questioning from the former president’s lawyers.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Risks of handcuffing someone facedown long known; people die when police training fails to keep up
For decades, police across the United States have been warned that the common tactic of handcuffing someone facedown could turn deadly if officers pin them on the ground with too much pressure or for too long.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.
Sunchips, Munchies recalled by Frito Lay Canada for possible salmonella contamination
Frito Lay Canada is recalling two of its most popular snacks due to a possible risk of salmonella contamination.