Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — A passenger on an American Airlines flight was restrained to his seat using duct tape and zip ties after instigating a physical fight and shouting verbal abuse at people on board, according to news portal TMZ.
The incident occurred during a flight from Texas to New Jersey, forcing the flight crew to divert the aircraft and make an unscheduled landing at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Maryland. Witnesses reported that the man appeared intoxicated and displayed aggressive behavior.
According to witness accounts, the passenger initially spoke loudly about religious topics before using a racial slur against a Black flight attendant who attempted to address the noise. The passenger subsequently shouted derogatory slurs targeting LGBTQ+ individuals.
The confrontation turned physical when the man struck a nearby passenger and broke the passenger's laptop. He then pushed a woman who attempted to intervene in the altercation.
To control the situation, flight crew members provided duct tape and zip ties to three passengers, who used the materials to secure the man to his seat for the remainder of the flight. Published media photographs and video footage show crew members and passengers holding the man down while he continued to resist, with his body, arms, and head ultimately bound to the seat. Photographs showed the passenger with visible abrasions and bruises.
Upon landing in Maryland, law enforcement officers boarded the aircraft and took the restrained passenger into custody.
