passenger

A Ryanair flight en route from Thessaloniki, Greece to Paphos, Cyprus, had to make an emergency landing in Athens due to a disruptive passenger.

The plane took off at about 10 p.m. on June 23, with 168 passengers aboard. Soon after take-off, a 37 year old passenger claiming to be a “mechanic” started banging at the cockpit door and tried to break-in.

The pilot reported the situation to Greek authorities who advised him to land in Athens. The troublesome passenger, believed to be a Cypriot national, was immobilized by the crew members and other passengers while the plane, which was just 20 minutes into the flight, was turned towards Athens. The plane safely landed and the passenger was handed over to the police.

The passengers were accommodated in nearby hotels for the night. They continued their journey to Paphos on the next day.

A spokesperson of Ryanair said, “We will fully assist the Greek police with the prosecution of this individual. We apologise sincerely to our other 168 customers on this flight for any delay or inconvenience suffered as a result of this diversion.”