Unruly passenger opens United plane’s emergency exit, slides down wing

A passenger aboard a United Airways flight was arrested for opening an emergency door and sliding down a wing earlier than police arrested him.
AP Picture/Seth Wenig, File

A passenger aboard a United Airways flight was arrested for opening an emergency door and sliding down a wing of a shifting aircraft after it landed in Chicago early Thursday, officers stated.

Flight 2478 from San Diego touched down at O’Hare Worldwide Airport about 4:30 a.m. and was taxiing to the gate when the person pulled the door off and stepped onto the wing, the airline advised The Submit.

“Our floor crew stopped the person outdoors of the plane, and the individual is now with legislation enforcement. The aircraft then arrived on the gate and all passengers deplaned safely,” a United rep stated in an e mail.

One of many passengers on the red-eye flight described the surreal scene on the tarmac.

“I believe all people on the aircraft was simply stunned and type of shocked as he was going out,” Maryellen Eagelston advised WGN Information.

“I heard all people yelling, ‘No, no, no’ and he simply went out the exit door and onto the wing. … Even the stewardesses got here again and stated, ‘What simply occurred?’” she recalled.

A photograph Eagelston snapped confirmed the exit the unidentified man used to get out of the aircraft.

An individual was arrested early Thursday after he opened the emergency exit of a shifting aircraft on the runway at O’Hare Worldwide Airport.

WMAQ-TV

Flight 2478 from San Diego touched down at O’Hare Worldwide Airport about 4:30 a.m. and was taxiing to the gate when the person pulled the door off.

WMAQ-TV

The rogue passenger didn’t even exit the emergency exit door by his seat, she stated.

“He crawled over one individual after which three individuals on the opposite aspect and went out that door,” Eagelston advised the outlet.

Chicago police stated the person has been arrested.

Chicago police stated that the person liable for the incident had since been arrested.

WMAQ-TV

The rogue passenger didn’t even exit the emergency exit door by his seat in keeping with one passenger.

Twitter / MaryEllen Eagelston

“A male topic was onboard a aircraft that was approaching the gate when he pulled the emergency exit and walked out onto the wing of the aircraft,” police spokesperson Kellie Bartoli advised The Submit in a press release.

“The topic then slid down the wing and onto the airfield. CPD arrived and positioned him into custody. Fees are pending,” Bartoli added. “As prices haven't but been finalized, we can't launch any additional details about the offender.”