A bizarre incident happened on Tuesday when a passenger named Johannes Van Heertum, 48, was arrested for opening the emergency exit door and deploying the slide on a KLM flight at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, CBS News reported.
The incident occurred when the plane, bound for Amsterdam, was taxiing, forcing the aircraft to return to the gate, according to Atlanta police.
"Van Heertum believed he saw another passenger with a weapon and appeared to have panicked, ultimately opening the emergency exit door and deploying the inflatable slide while the plane was taxiing," Atlanta police said.
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However, security checks confirmed that no weapons were present on board. Authorities reportedly believe Van Heertum was experiencing a mental health episode, leading to his erratic behaviour.
Officers boarded the flight and took Van Heertum into custody when the plane returned to an exit ramp.
Van Heertum is now facing multiple charges, including reckless conduct, second-degree criminal damage to property, and interfering with security measures. He was evaluated by EMTs and taken into custody.
KLM Airlines rebooked the remaining passengers on the next available flights, minimising disruptions. The incident highlights the importance of passenger safety and the consequences of unruly behaviour on flights.
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Video Shows Moment Plane Carrying Minister And His Delegation Crash-Landed In Congo
In other news, a terrifying video showed the moment an Embraer ERJ-145 flight crash-landed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Monday (Nov 17). The chartered plane was carrying the country's mines minister, Louis Watum Kabamba, to Kolwezi airport in Lualaba region, who was due to travel on to a nearby cobalt mine where 32 people died in a bridge collapse, according to a BBC report.
The two-minute, 51-second footage captured by a passenger shows the aircraft, with flaps deployed, descending steadily to land. However, seconds later, the plane touched down before the displaced runway threshold, resulting in a main gear collapse.
