Vigilante passengers restrain drunk on flight for four hours
Passengers on a flight from Thailand managed to restrain a drunk and abusive man to prevent the pilot being forced to make an emergency landing.
Tourists punched and finally subdued the 26-year-old, who had allegedly been drinking whiskey from a bottle, after he started making abusive and threatening comments three hours into the seven hours and 45 minutes’ flight.
They managed to restrain him for almost four hours using belts and tape.
The passengers on the flight to Russia’s third largest city Novosibirsk leapt into action after the pilot threatened to divert to China or Mongolia.
A spokesman for Russian carrier S7 Airlines told the Evening Standard: "During the rest of the flight he was closely watched by one of the stewards and a doctor — one of the passengers.
"As a result of this incident, there were no delays."
The man was handed over to police and was charged with hooliganism. It is understood he was later fined.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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