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Passenger Attempts to Open Emergency Exit on Flight From Paris to Morocco: 'Everyone Was Screaming'


A flight from Paris to Marrakesh had to abort its journey and land back in Paris on Friday after a passenger tried to force open the emergency exit during the flight and was restrained by crew.

Transavia flight TO3010 took off from Paris Orly airport at 6:45 a.m., and an airline spokesman confirmed to Business Insider that it was was forced to turn back to the airport when a passenger tried to open the exit.

One passenger, Pierre-Albert Garcias, told Business Insider that the passenger was trying to open the over-wing exit, and that people were screaming on the plane though the man himself did not say anything.

"About 15 minutes after taking off, I suddenly heard strong shouts and felt movements behind me," he said.

"Four rows behind me, several persons were trying to calm down and block one person who was trying to open an emergency exit.

"Everyone was screaming in the plane."

He said that the crew "finally managed to immobilize him and to handcuff him." The Transavia spokesman said that crew restrained the passenger, but did not confirm whether it was with handcuffs.

Garcias said the pilot announced "that the plane was going back to Orly to land and get this person out of the aircraft."

Police took the man away after the plane landed, the spokesman said. Orly Airport officials could not be reached for comment.

The spokesman said that it would be "impossible" for the man to actually open the door mid-flight, and that the situation therefore did count as an "emergency."

(During a flight, emergency exit doors are held in place by the difference in pressure between the inside and outside of the cabin. No human is strong enough to overcome it.)

Passengers were put on a later flight to Marrakesh, but Garcias said he lost his hire car reservation as he was unable to transfer to an earlier flight.

A statement from Transavia said the airline "does not tolerate any behavior that could affect other passengers, crew members or flight safety."

"Transavia France commends the exemplary attitude of the crew during this incident."