'Erratic' passenger on SFO-bound flight forces early landing
The plane was diverted to Minneapolis where the man was arrested. Passengers describe his wide range of 'erratic' behavior:
Video Transcript
- So we are, as a team, made the decision to come here, so--
J.R. STONE: Cheering from passengers on a JetBlue plane that departed New York's JFK en route to San Francisco International Airport, one that had to be diverted to Minneapolis due to an unruly passenger.
- Gesturing, stabbing motions towards the other passenger. And it was also observed erratic behavior and snorting a white substance.
J.R. STONE: Witnesses say that passenger had a bag full of that white substance, touched at least one other woman, made inappropriate comments to numerous female passengers, yelled racial slurs towards passengers upon boarding and refused to wear a mask.
BOB MCKANZIE: When he got to his seat, he started yelling that he wanted a white Porsche. I don't know who's he's talking to, but that's what he was saying.
DELANEY WASHINGTON: So he kept walking back and forth to the bathroom. He had no shoes on. He smelled awful.
J.R. STONE: In this video taken by a passenger, those with JetBlue explained that they had to move one female passenger away from the man. Upon landing in Minneapolis, witnesses we talked with say the man in question was met by officers and the FBI.
- I think everyone was very uncomfortable. And I think he posed a flight risk and again, kudos to the captain and the flight crew for keeping everyone safe and taking appropriate action.
J.R. STONE: That from a witness who sat near the man in question, saying he had a plastic knife and may have been on cocaine or meth. Others just unclear on what was going on even as it was happening.
SALMA SROUR: He just wanted us to sing at some point. And he smelled very strongly. It was a very pungent smell. And he kept walking to the bathroom. He wasn't wearing a mask.
DELANEY WASHINGTON: He kept saying bless you to me and he was acting really erratically.
J.R. STONE: Passengers appreciative in the airline's response in getting the man off the plane. And what a night it was for so many of those passengers. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Now we did reach out to multiple agencies in the Minneapolis area and JetBlue, but have yet to hear back. But again, after talking with all those passengers, they were breathing easy tonight knowing that they're back home and they're safe. Reporting live in San Francisco, J.R. Stone, ABC 7 News.
- What a headache of a journey. Just glad to see everyone made it to their destination. J.R., many thanks to you.
