A Ryanair aircraft had to make an emergency landing in Marrakech, Morocco, last Wednesday, July 3, following a heated altercation among passengers. The flight departed from Agadir, another city in Morocco, and was heading towards London.
Violent Brawl at Ryanair Flight
According to the Independent, the violent brawl broke out barely 36 minutes into the four-hour flight, which was supposed to land at Stansted Airport in London.
Witnesses said the heated exchange started the moment they boarded the plane. A guy in his late 20s reportedly asked to exchange seats with a mother sitting next to her daughter so that he could sit with his wife and little children.
The plane took off, and the lady refused the man's request to switch seats. The man has made persistent threats, leading the woman's husband to stand up for her.
In an interview with The Sun, a fellow passenger said it was like a "flight from hell." The witness added that the parties involved were trying to punch each other. And because one of the families was traveling with a bigger group, other travelers felt compelled to join in.
Passengers were reportedly yelling, shoving, and punching each other in the aisle as the flight attendants tried to calm them down. Another person felt sick during the conflict and required oxygen treatment at 30,000 feet.
Removal of Disruptive Passengers at Ryanair Flight
As the situation intensified, the pilot decided to reroute the flight to Marrakech to remove the disruptive passengers from the plane. After the altercation in the air, nine passengers were taken from the plane by Moroccan authorities who met them on the ground.
Around 200 people were on board, and the trip was postponed overnight because the crew had flown many hours during the evacuation. The next evening, passengers resumed their trip to London.
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