In a shocking incident yesterday (Friday), a British holidaymaker was forcibly removed from a Ryanair flight travelling from Luton to Lanzarote. The flight was diverted to Portugal due to the passenger's unruly behaviour, prompting a dozen Portuguese police officers to intervene.
The altercation unfolded as a group of men, who were reportedly drunk, began harassing female passengers. Attempts by a member of the cabin crew to intervene resulted in the steward being knocked over. In response, the captain issued a warning over the intercom, stating that unacceptable behaviour would not be tolerated and that the flight would be diverted if it continued.
Despite the warning, they carried on with their disruptive behaviour, leading to the decision to divert the flight to Portugal. Passengers were informed of the diversion 20 minutes before landing in Faro, with limited details provided.
Another passenger, who captured the incident on video, recounted that the man involved initially left the plane voluntarily but later reboarded, prompting police intervention.
The footage showed the man being grappled into a headlock by officers and forcibly removed from the aircraft. Other passengers observed the scene, some cheering and clapping as the officers worked to subdue the unruly individual.
The plane, flight number FR3511, was originally scheduled to land in Lanzarote at 12:15 pm local time, touched down at Faro airport at around 10:50am local time. Following the incident, an email was sent to passengers, apologising for the unexpected diversion and assuring them that the airline was working to minimise delays for onward travel.
In a statement to MailOnline, Ryanair confirmed the disruptive incident, stating, "This flight from London Luton to Lanzarote diverted to Faro when passengers became disruptive onboard. The crew called ahead for police assistance, and the aircraft was met by local police upon arrival who removed the disruptive passengers. The flight continued to Lanzarote following a short delay. This is now a matter for the Portuguese police." Authorities in Portugal have yet to provide an official comment on the incident.
