Latest news with #militaryveterans
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Terror as manic passenger is wrestled to his seat after trying to open emergency exit mid-air
The moment a manic passenger was wrestled into a seat after trying to open the emergency exit mid-flight was caught on camera. The unnamed suspect, who attempted the terrifying incident on an All Nippon Airways plane from Tokyo to Houston, Texas, on Saturday, leapt out of his seat nine hours into the journey and lunged for the door's handle. However, two military veterans and the flight attendants rounded on him and hauled him away from the exit by pinning him into the seat before tying him up. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO The captain was forced to divert the aircraft to Seattle Airport, where video showed cops as they arrested the suspect and took him to hospital. Footage showed the former soldiers shove the man into the chair as he tried to wrestle free, while one said: 'You're not going to make it to that window.' Most of the other passengers had been asleep on the long-haul overnight flight when the commotion happened. A traveler called Ashley told Fox 26: 'He got up in a hurry - I just assumed he was sick but then he went for the emergency exit, and two men jumped into action. 'They zip-tied him to the seats directly behind me.' Ashley said the military veterans remained calm and appeared trained. Ashley added: 'One said he had served in the Navy, and the other had been in for a long time, though I didn't catch which branch. They kept [the man] restrained for over an hour.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Abigail Dye (@abigaildyenews) The captain turned the plane back to Seattle when it was just three hours away from Houston, and landed it within 45 minutes of the incident. Ashely said: 'When we landed, a second man on the flight suddenly started acting strange. He went to the restroom and caused a bit of a scene. Everyone was on edge. 'I won't be sitting in an exit row again. It was terrifying.' She also praised the men who stepped up to take the man down: 'I want to say thank you to those citizens who took control. I don't know if I could've done that. I wouldn't have known what to do.' Emergency landing: Most of the other passengers had been asleep on All Nippon Airways flight NH114 when the commotion happened Law enforcement and medical personnel were already standing when the plane touched down at SeaTac, at around 4.20am. Police boarded the aircraft and audio captured the moment they prepared to remove the passenger. One officer said to the man: 'Once I take you out of the seat, we're going to escort you off the flight, OK? If you try to fight us, force will be used against you.' Both the restrained man and the random second passenger were escorted off. Airport officials said the primary suspect had experienced a 'medical episode', and he was transported to a nearby hospital. Seattle PD spokesman Chris Guizlo said: 'Police and EMS were told that a passenger tried to open an emergency exit door mid-flight.' No charges had yet been announced, and the individual's identity and current condition remained unknown. Generally, airplane doors could not be opened mid-flight because air pressure differences between inside and outside the cabin kept the aircraft's doors sealed.
The Sun
25-05-2025
- The Sun
Terrifying moment passenger zip-tied to seat after trying to open plane door mid-flight forcing emergency landing
THIS is the harrowing moment a raging passenger tries to open an emergency door mid-flight - before being wrestled back into his seat. Petrified travellers watched in horror during the crazed stunt which forced the flight from Tokyo to Houston on Saturday morning to divert. 3 3 Shocking footage showed the dramatic ordeal unfold nine hours into the long journey. After the passenger suddenly leapt up from his seat, he made a lunge for the door handle on the All Nippon Airways plane. While most other flyers were fast asleep, two military veterans were luckily still awake during the bizarre stunt. They quickly hauled the unruly passenger away from the door to stop him from executing his hysterical plan. The frenzied man was stuck back onto his seat and zip-tied up to prevent him from causing any more chaos. One of the heroic veterans said: "You're not going to make it to that window." The captain was then forced to divert to Seattle Airport. Footage showed cops arresting the suspect and taking him to hospital for check ups. A fellow passenger called Ashley told Fox 26: "He got up in a hurry - I just assumed he was sick. "But then he went for the emergency exit, and two men jumped into action." She added: "They zip-tied him to the seats directly behind me." The bystander also described the two men as calm and trained. "One said he had served in the Navy, and the other had been in for a long time, though I didn't catch which branch," she explained. "They kept him restrained for over an hour." As the plane was over Washington state, it diverted to Seattle - just three hours away from its destination in Houston. The pilots landed just 45 minutes after the shocking ordeal. But that wasn't the end for passengers on this chaotic flight. Ashley said: Ashely said: "When we landed, a second man on the flight suddenly started acting strange. Police and medical personnel were already standing on the tarmac when the plane arrived at SeaTac around 4.20am. They boarded the aircraft and located the crazed flyer immediately. Audio recording captured one officer saying: "Once I take you out of the seat, we're going to escort you off the flight, okay? "If you try to fight us, force will be used against you." Both the restrained man and the second strange-acting passenger were escorted off the plane by police. Airport officials said the main suspect had experienced a "medical episode". He was quickly transported to a nearby hospital. No charges had been announced yet, and the individual's identity and current condition remain unknown.
The Sun
25-05-2025
- The Sun
Passenger zip-tied to seat after trying to force open plan door mid-flight
THIS is the harrowing moment a raging passenger tries to open an emergency door mid-flight - before being wrestled back into his seat. Petrified travellers watched in horror during the crazed stunt which forced the flight from Tokyo to Houston on Saturday morning to divert. 3 A passenger on an All Nippon flight from Tokyo to Texas was restrained after trying to open the emergency door Credit: Fox 26 Houston 3 Cops took the man away shortly after it landed Credit: Fox 26 Houston 3 The flight had to be diverted to Seattle, just 45 minutes after the ordeal Credit: Fox 26 Houston Shocking footage showed the dramatic ordeal unfold nine hours into the long journey. After the passenger suddenly leapt up from his seat, he made a lunge for the door handle on the All Nippon Airways plane. While most other flyers were fast asleep, two military veterans were luckily still awake during the bizarre stunt. They quickly hauled the unruly passenger away from the door to stop him from executing his hysterical plan. The frenzied man was stuck back onto his seat and zip-tied up to prevent him from causing any more chaos. One of the heroic veterans said: "You're not going to make it to that window." The captain was then forced to divert to Seattle Airport. Footage showed cops arresting the suspect and taking him to hospital for check ups. A fellow passenger called Ashley told Fox 26: "He got up in a hurry - I just assumed he was sick. "But then he went for the emergency exit, and two men jumped into action." Moment drunk Scots passenger dragged off Ryanair flight after 'BOMB THREAT' forcing diversion She added: "They zip-tied him to the seats directly behind me." The bystander also described the two men as calm and trained. "One said he had served in the Navy, and the other had been in for a long time, though I didn't catch which branch," she explained. "They kept him restrained for over an hour." As the plane was over Washington state, it diverted to Seattle - just three hours away from its destination in Houston. The pilots landed just 45 minutes after the shocking ordeal. But that wasn't the end for passengers on this chaotic flight. Ashley said: Ashely said: "When we landed, a second man on the flight suddenly started acting strange. Police and medical personnel were already standing on the tarmac when the plane arrived at SeaTac around 4.20am. They boarded the aircraft and located the crazed flyer immediately. Audio recording captured one officer saying: "Once I take you out of the seat, we're going to escort you off the flight, okay? "If you try to fight us, force will be used against you." Both the restrained man and the second strange-acting passenger were escorted off the plane by police. Airport officials said the main suspect had experienced a "medical episode". He was quickly transported to a nearby hospital. No charges had been announced yet, and the individual's identity and current condition remain unknown.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
International Flight Diverted to Seattle After Man ‘Crawled Over' Passengers in Attempt to Open Airplane Door Mid-Air
A man allegedly attempted to open the cabin door on All Nippon Airways flight NH0114 from Tokyo to Houston on Saturday, May 24 The flight diverted to Seattle, where a second man began acting "unruly" while the plane was still on the tarmac "The safety our passengers and crew are our top priority," All Nippon Airways said in a statement, per Click2HoustonA man had to be restrained by other passengers and crew onboard a Houston-bound flight after allegedly trying to open an exit door mid-air. All Nippon Airways flight NH0114 from Tokyo was initially scheduled to arrive at Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport at 8:25 a.m. local time on Saturday, May 24, Click2Houston reported. However, when there were around four hours left of the journey, the plane had to be diverted to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport due to an onboard incident. According to airport officials, per Fox26, police were called about a man having allegedly attempted to open a door during the flight. Two military veterans who were onboard assisted the crew in restraining the man. Once the plane landed, the man was taken by EMS to a nearby hospital, where it was determined that he had been having a medical crisis, Click2Houston and Fox26 reported. No further details on the passenger or his condition have been released at this time. Ashley, a passenger who was sitting in front of the man, told Fox26 that she initially wasn't suspicious of him. "He actually got up from his seat and crawled over the people next to him," Ashley said, according to the outlet. "He got up in a hurry, and I just assumed he was sick." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Having then allegedly attempted to open the emergency exit, Ashley told Fox26 that passengers zip-tied the man to his seat. He sat restrained behind her for over an hour before the fight landed in Seattle. "It was incredible," Ashley said, according to the outlet. "I do want to say thank you to those kind citizens who stood up and took control. I wouldn't know what to do." The flight landed safely at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport around 4:19 a.m. local time, Click2Houston reported. A second passenger behaved strangely at the time and had to be escorted off by officials. The flight eventually made it to Houston around midday, according to FlightAware. 'Today, All Nippon Airways flight NH114 departing Tokyo Haneda Airport for Houston Intercontinental Airport was diverted in-flight to Seattle due to an unruly passenger,' All Nippon Airways said in a statement, per Click2Houston. 'While on the tarmac in Seattle, a second passenger became unruly. Both were removed from the flight by the Port of Seattle Police. The flight to Houston continued without incident.' The airline added, 'The safety our passengers and crew are our top priority and we applaud the efforts of local law enforcement for their support.' Port of Seattle Police and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport didn't immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Sunday, May 25. Read the original article on People
The Guardian
23-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Disarray at Department of Veterans Affairs imperils patient care, internal documents reveal
The Department of Veterans Affairs, the nation's largest integrated healthcare system, has been plunged into crisis amid canceled contracts, hiring freezes, resignations, layoffs and other moves by the Trump administration and Elon Musk's so-called 'department of government efficiency' (Doge), internal agency documents obtained by the Guardian show. The documents paint a grim picture of chaos across the department's sprawling network of 170 veterans affairs (VA) hospitals and more than 1,300 outpatient clinics, which serve 9 million US military veterans. At the Danville VA medical center, in rural Illinois near the Indiana border, so many nurses resigned that hospital administrators were forced to close the acute care unit to new patients. The dysfunction has also included a backlog of 2,298 unread radiology exams in Orlando, Florida, and the cancellation of a dozen rheumatology appointments in Montrose, New York. In Battle Creek, Michigan, a spate of resignations, early separation offers and a hiring freeze has led to a 'critical' shortage of police officers responsible for protecting VA patients. The Guardian's investigation, based on a review of 'issue briefs' filed within the last month to the agency's central office by staff at more than a dozen hospitals, comes at a time of increased scrutiny of the Trump administration's handling of the VA. In response to a detailed list of findings from the Guardian, the VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz argued the conditions described didn't represent a problem. 'The only thing these documents show is that VA has a robust and well functioning system to flag potential problems and quickly fix them,' he said in an email. 'The Guardian's attempt to spin these outdated, routine reports to make VA look bad is dishonest.' Kasperowicz did not dispute that the acute care unit in Danville, Illinois, had been closed, but said the hospital was 'actively recruiting replacement nurses'. In Orlando, he acknowledged the backlog of radiology 'after two radiologists quit', but said it had since been reduced by 40% – meaning nearly 1,400 veterans were still waiting. The issues raised by the documents are 'typical in any large healthcare system' and 'have nothing to do with VA's reform plans', he said. The VA secretary, Doug Collins, has promised to cut 80,000 jobs and has said he will do so without reducing the quality of care or the availability of benefits. Earlier media reports have revealed the administration's actions have imperiled life-saving cancer trials, suicide prevention research and treatments for opioid addiction. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, the ranking Democrat on the Senate committee of veterans affairs, said the Guardian's reporting showed the agency to be 'rash and reckless'. Representative Mark Takano of California, the ranking Democrat on the House committee on veterans affairs, said the documents deepened the concerns of lawmakers who have already raised alarms over the potential impact of the Trump administration's policies. 'When we undercut an agency established to work for veterans, we fail them,' he said. The agency has already dismissed 2,500 workers and canceled more than 500 contracts. Blumenthal said those dismissals, which primarily targeted new hires, 'destroyed morale' and harmed recruiting. 'The ramifications are sweeping,' he said. 'It infects every aspect of the work environment', with 'potentially life-threatening consequences'. Collins said the dismissals and large-scale staff contraction are designed to reduce bureaucracy that often keeps people from accessing healthcare. However, Federal News Network reported on 20 May that more than 14,000 VA employees in healthcare positions had applied to leave their jobs through government-wide separation initiatives, citing an internal agency dashboard. Those requesting a buyout or early retirement included more than 1,700 nurses, nearly 900 advanced medical support assistants and more than 200 physicians. The documents obtained by the Guardian show that some of the current disarray tracks back to the department's aggressive 'return to office' mandate, which prompted staff to depart before replacements were in place. The National Teleradiology Center based at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System saw 'a substantial exodus' following the mandate, according to one document. As of 15 May, one-third of image reads did not meet the legally required response time. 'Operational capacity is continuing to diminish,' the document notes. In interviews the week before the Memorial Day weekend, veterans expressed frustration with the dysfunction, which has resulted in lost jobs and delayed appointments, and a concern that the agency – which enjoys the trust of 92% of veterans, according to a 2024 survey – could be at risk. 'This isn't normal,' said Matthew Crescenzo, 32, an Afghanistan war veteran, who was laid off on 25 February after Doge canceled the contract he was working on that was meant to improve healthcare access to veterans who live in far-flung locations. The layoff prompted him to seek mental healthcare, but he hasn't been able to access it. 'We're seeing a unilateral movement on the part of the executive to dismantle services that benefit veterans,' said Christopher Purdy, an Afghanistan war veteran and founder of the Chamberlain Network, a non-profit that mobilizes veterans to protect democracy through organizing, education and community engagement. A Unite for Veterans rally is planned for Washington DC on 6 June. Organizers say they are modeling it on the 1932 'Bonus Army' march on Washington – when thousands of first world war veterans gathered on the National Mall demanding promised benefits, only to have the US military deployed against them. Purdy said organizers invoked the Bonus Army in planning the 6 June march, because 'we're in a moment where it's not clear that the country is still going to fulfill its obligations to the veteran community'. Gathering on the mall was necessary, he added, because the typical levers of accountability, including congressional oversight, had failed. Crescenzo, who has been receiving VA healthcare since his discharge from the US army in 2017, said he had not seen this type of dysfunction before. Amid dismissals and threats of further job cuts, employees seem unable to focus, with the remaining providers under stress and less able to care for veterans. On 28 February, three days after he was dismissed from his job as a VA contractor, Crescenzo requested a referral to a mental health provider. He wanted help managing the layoff, along with post-traumatic stress disorder he developed after his service and more newly diagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. His primary care doctor requested that Crescenzo see a psychiatrist for 'possible medication management', but no one followed up to schedule the appointment. On 14 April, emails show, Crescenzo had still not received care – or even been given an appointment. 'I have been attempting to reach them for weeks with no success,' he wrote. A nurse wrote back extending 'my apology for the above concerns', but after yet another follow-up from Crescenzo, stated he would need to wait an additional week or two to schedule the psychiatric appointment. 'Sorry for the delay,' the nurse wrote. Crescenzo still hasn't seen a psychiatrist, but was finally able to schedule an appointment – for 15 July.
