Aircraft makes emergency touchdown after passenger tries to open emergency exit in flight

A regional jet made an emergency touchdown in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday night after a passenger tried to open an emergency exit door and acquired into an altercation with a flight attendant.

Delta Connection flight 3612, operated by SkyWest Airways, was flying from Omaha to Detroit when the disturbance occurred round 7 p.m. native time, the Federal Aviation Administration mentioned in a press release.

A passenger was “in a struggle with our flight attendant proper now, making an attempt to open the emergency exit,” the pilot radioed the tower at Jap Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids, in keeping with a recording by the web site LiveATC.web.

The passenger didn’t get the door open and the aircraft landed safely and taxied to the gate.

Video posted to social media by a passenger confirmed legislation enforcement escorting a person off the aircraft together with his arms restrained behind his again.

“SkyWest has zero tolerance for unruly conduct as security for our prospects and crew is our high precedence,” the airline mentioned in a press release.

Thus far this 12 months there have been greater than 870 experiences of unruly passengers on planes within the US, in keeping with FAA information. Potential penalties embrace jail time, fines and journey restrictions.

CNN’s Carol Alvardo contributed to this report.