A JetBlue passenger opened an exit door during taxi at Boston’s Logan International Airport Tuesday night, causing an emergency slide to deploy, authorities said.
The individual, whose identity hasn’t been released, was quickly restrained by fellow passengers and later detained by state troopers.
The incident occurred aboard Flight 161 around 7:30 p.m., local time, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a news release Tuesday. The Airbus 320 was headed to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Shortly before takeoff, a passenger who wanted to deplane opened an aircraft door suddenly and without warning,” the Massachusetts State Police said in a statement. “Other passengers restrained the individual until troopers arrived on scene to detain them for further questioning.”
According to witnesses, the individual was a male passenger who was having an argument with his girlfriend, local television station WBZ reported.
“Boyfriend and girlfriend were arguing behind me,” passenger Fred Wynn told the station. “Boyfriend got mad, got up walked down the center aisle, grabbed the emergency door, ripped it off, completely off. FBI agent tackled him, handcuffed him. Shortly after, state police came on board and took him off.”
The passenger is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday, Massachusetts State Police spokesperson Tim McGuirk said.
A JetBlue spokesperson said all passengers were transferred to another aircraft and the flight has since landed in San Juan.
“We greatly appreciate our customers’ understanding as we worked to address this situation,” the spokesperson said.
Earlier on Tuesday, JetBlue officials confirmed the discovery of two dead bodies in the landing gear compartment of another Airbus A320, which had arrived at Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport from John F. Kennedy Airport late Monday night.
That incident is currently under investigation by local authorities and the FAA.