Latest news with #passengerattack
The Sun
14-05-2025
- The Sun
Shocking moment ‘half-devil' passenger tries to stab flight attendant & open emergency exit in horror midair attack
THIS is the terrifying moment a crazed passenger tried to stab a flight attendant and open the emergency exit while mid-flight. Francisco Severo Torres, 34, has pleaded guilty to the horror attack in March 2023. 4 The dramatic turn of events took place aboard a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston. About 45 minutes into the journey, a flight attendant reportedly raised the alarm after noticing shady behaviour near one of the plane's emergency exits. Torres was confronted by the flight attendant and asked if he had tampered with the door. That was when he got out of his seat and marched back over to the door. Shocking footage taken by a fellow passenger shows Torres shouting that he was 'taking over this plane' and that he would 'kill every man on this plane.' The crazed passenger then lunges at a flight attendant, trying to stab them with a broken metal spoon. Torres beat the flight attended three times around the neck, according to federal prosecutors. Passengers then tackled Torres and he was restrained with the assistance of flight crew. Once the plane landed at Logan Airport the man was detained. Torres later told the cops that he had wanted to open the door to jump out of the plane - and said he knew many people would die if he did, according to charging documents. Torres has pleaded guilty to the attack, admitting to one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew using a dangerous weapon, according to the office of Massachusetts US Attorney Leah Foley. This comes after a passenger was tackled by fellow flyers after attempting to pull the plane's emergency exit lever while at 35,000 feet. The Plus Ultra flight 701 was heading from Madrid, Spain, to Caracas , Venezuela on 28 February when the incident took place. The Airbus A330 was about halfway through its journey, flying high over the Atlantic Ocean when the man became "restless". A Plus Ultra spokesperson said: 'A passenger began to feel restless, annoying the person in the next seat with shouts and slapping him while he was asleep. 'The crew acted quickly, calming the situation between the two and relocating the passenger to another seat where he could not disturb anyone. 'Moments later, this individual suddenly went to one of the doors of the plane trying to manipulate it. 'Immediately, our cabin crew subdued the passenger and, following the action protocol, secured him in the back of the plane until he reached the destination. 'At all times he was accompanied by two people from the crew, lying on the ground and attended to avoid any possible altercation.' The passenger was reportedly detained after the plane landed in Caracas. It is unclear exactly what prompted the man to try to open the plane door. It is nearly impossible to open modern plane doors after they have reached around 10,000 feet. This is because the difference between the internal cabin pressure and the outside air pressure effectively seals the doors. Some aircraft have a special flight lock feature that mechanically closes the door after the aircraft reaches a certain speed. 4
The Independent
13-05-2025
- The Independent
Massachusetts man pleads guilty to attacking a flight attendant with a broken spoon
A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty Tuesday to attacking a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon and attempting to open an airliner's emergency door on a cross-country flight. Francisco Severo Torres, of Leominster, pleaded guilty to one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon in the March 2023 disturbance on United Airlines Flight 2609 from Los Angeles to Boston. According to prosecutor and witness accounts, Torres went on a midair rant and tried to stab a crew member with a modified metal spoon. The plane was about 45 minutes from Boston when the crew received an alarm that a side door on the aircraft was disarmed, according to court documents. One flight attendant noticed the door's locking handle had been moved. Another saw Torres near the door and believed he had moved the handle. Cabin pressure during flight prevents airplane doors from opening. Torres started loudly rambling that his father was Dracula, that he wanted to be shot so he could be reincarnated and that he would kill everyone on board, another passenger said. He punched a male flight attendant, who felt the metal spoon in Torres' hand hit him on his shirt collar and tie three times, according to court documents. No one was injured. Torres was eventually subdued and restrained by other passengers. He was arrested when the flight landed at Boston Logan International Airport, authorities said. Torres could be sentenced up to life in prison. A lawyer for Torres could not be reached for comment. Torres has spent time in mental health facilities, according to court records. The police chief in his hometown said officers have dealt with him several times since 2014, mostly over family issues and mental health episodes. During one court appearance after his arrest, a federal judge ruled that Torres was not competent to stand trial and that he needed additional treatment. Magistrate Judge Judith Dein based her decision on a mental health evaluation of Torres and her own observations.
Associated Press
13-05-2025
- Associated Press
Massachusetts man pleads guilty to attacking a flight attendant with a broken spoon
BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty Tuesday to attacking a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon and attempting to open an airliner's emergency door on a cross-country flight. Francisco Severo Torres, of Leominster, pleaded guilty to one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon in the March 2023 disturbance on United Airlines Flight 2609 from Los Angeles to Boston. According to prosecutor and witness accounts, Torres went on a midair rant and tried to stab a crew member with a modified metal spoon. The plane was about 45 minutes from Boston when the crew received an alarm that a side door on the aircraft was disarmed, according to court documents. One flight attendant noticed the door's locking handle had been moved. Another saw Torres near the door and believed he had moved the handle. Cabin pressure during flight prevents airplane doors from opening. Torres started loudly rambling that his father was Dracula, that he wanted to be shot so he could be reincarnated and that he would kill everyone on board, another passenger said. He punched a male flight attendant, who felt the metal spoon in Torres' hand hit him on his shirt collar and tie three times, according to court documents. No one was injured. Torres was eventually subdued and restrained by other passengers. He was arrested when the flight landed at Boston Logan International Airport, authorities said. Torres could be sentenced up to life in prison. A lawyer for Torres could not be reached for comment. Torres has spent time in mental health facilities, according to court records. The police chief in his hometown said officers have dealt with him several times since 2014, mostly over family issues and mental health episodes. During one court appearance after his arrest, a federal judge ruled that Torres was not competent to stand trial and that he needed additional treatment. Magistrate Judge Judith Dein based her decision on a mental health evaluation of Torres and her own observations.
