Copa Airlines sky scare: Passengers thwart knife attack
One of the passengers on the Copa Airlines flight from Brasília to Panama City took a flight attendant hostage and wielded a knife. The man attempted to force open the aircraft's emergency doors. The passengers subdued the aggressor. A recording of the incident is circulating online.
8:31 AM EST, November 8, 2024
A very dangerous situation occurred on board a Copa Airlines aircraft on Tuesday, November 5. According to witnesses, one of the passengers grabbed a plastic knife distributed during meals, took a flight attendant hostage, and then attempted to reach the aircraft's emergency doors.
A flight attendant started screaming, and another tried to hold him back but couldn't because he was too strong, reports Cristiano Carvalho, a witness of the incident, in an interview with "The New York Post".
The man attempted to open the doors just after the crew announced the beginning of the landing process, ignoring safety instructions. The passengers reacted very quickly and knocked the attacker to the floor. "They beat him hard until he almost lost consciousness," said Cristiano Carvalho.
After landing in Panama, the Panamanian national security unit arrested the passenger.
Panamanian airline Copa Airlines stated that after the incident, it commends the crew and passengers for their quick and decisive reaction to the aggressive man.
The crew acted quickly and, with the assistance of some passengers, applied the necessary safety protocols, reads the statement.
A recording of the incident was published on the X platform (formerly Twitter). In the video, passengers and crew are seen struggling with the attacker, with several people subduing the man.
