A flight passenger reportedly tried to open the cabin doors mid-flight – sparking panic before he was detained. Witness Oore Fabunmi, 25, was flying from the Dominican Republic to London Gatwick on June 29 when the man seated in front of her suddenly stood up and ran toward the front of the aircraft.
The next thing Oore heard were screams erupting from the front of the plane as the man allegedly attempted to open the cabin doors. She watched as fellow passengers tried to pin the man down before TUI airline staff stepped in to detain him.
The man remained sat with staff for the rest of the flight and was escorted off the plane by police officers upon landing in London. Oore, a hearings officer from South London, said: “It was pretty scary at first.
“I remember just seeing him leave the row in front of me and run forward. Next thing I heard was just screams coming from the front. My first thought was that we were being hijacked and we might die – like in the movies.”
Oore had been returning from a holiday in the Dominican Republic and was flying back to London Gatwick on June 29. She recalls interacting with the man at the beginning of the flight as she helped him find the correct seat.
They then all settled in for the eight-hour journey back to the UK. Oore said: “I had chatted to him earlier in the journey. I got onto the plane with some friends I’d made on the holiday and he was actually sitting in one of their seats.
“They asked him to move and he seemed confused about his ticket so I helped him find his seat. He seemed alright after that until he started getting agitated halfway through the flight.”
Four hours into the flight, Oore noticed the man growing restless. She said: “He stood up on his seat, which I obviously thought was strange and then he just ran to the doors.”
Fellow passengers intervened and tried to pin the man down before airline staff stepped in to detain him. Oore said: “All of it was quite strange.
“I think he clearly needed some help. He did not seem mentally well. I remember him muttering something about his wife being on a cruise, both at his seat and later by the door. But outside of that, I have no idea why he did what he did.”
The man remained sat for the rest of the journey and passengers were asked to remain seated after landing while police came aboard to escort him off. Oore said: “The rest of the flight was definitely calmer after that but still tense.
“The flight attendants were really good at keeping us informed and announcements were made explaining what had happened. When the plane landed, we all had to wait in our seats until he was taken off. It was such a nerve-wracking experience — it definitely made me think twice before flying again.”
Due to the air pressure difference between the inside and outside of an aircraft, plane doors cannot be opened mid-flight while at cruising altitude.
The TUI Group was contacted but has not provided an official statement. Sussex Police has also been contacted for comment.
