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Updated 25 May 2025 at 10:14 IST

Mid-Air Terror: Passenger Tries to Open Emergency Door on Tokyo-Houston Flight, Threatens to Kill Everyone

A Tokyo-to-Houston flight was diverted to Seattle on Saturday after a passenger attempted to open an emergency door mid-air and threatened to kill everyone aboard. Authorities suspected a medical emergency and immediately sent him to a hospital for evaluation.

Reported by: Ayushi Goswami
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Passenger Tries to Open Emergency Door on Tokyo-Houston Flight
Passenger Tries to Open Emergency Door on Tokyo-Houston Flight | Image: X/@FlyANA_official

An All Nippon Airways flight was forced to divert to Seattle in Washington on Saturday after an unruly passenger tried to open an emergency door mid-air and threatened to kill everyone onboard. The flight coming from Japan's Tokyo was bound for Houston, Texas.

Authorities at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport told local media that a male passenger, whose identity hasn't been revealed, jumped for the door handle and attempted to open the plane's emergency exit.

Other Passengers Pinned Him Down

Fellow passengers and flight crew quickly intervened, pulling him back and restraining him on the cabin floor.

The passenger created panic mid-air just over three hours before the flight's scheduled landing in Houston. Reports say most passengers were asleep when the incident took place.

The pilot successfully diverted the plane within 45 minutes, nine hours into the 12-hour journey.

Also Read: Denied by Pakistan, Caught in a Storm: IndiGo Flight Faces Mid-Air Chaos With 220 Onboard

Accused had a ‘Medical Emergency’

After the plane safely landed in Seattle, the police boarded the aircraft and discovered that the accused was having a medical emergency.

He was immediately taken to the hospital for evaluation, while the flight departed and landed in Houston without further disruption with a delay of four hours.

As of now, no charges have been filed against the accused, whose identity and health condition remain unknown. 

Published 25 May 2025 at 10:14 IST