A passenger on an American Airlines flight from Rio de Janeiro to Miami caused a commotion after he experienced what appeared to be a severe meltdown mid-air. According to Local 10 News, the man started screaming for help in Spanish, claiming in distress that "they're killing me."
The situation quickly escalated, prompting both crew members and fellow passengers to hastily intervene. A crew member and four passengers tried to physically restrain the man, with the exclusive video showing the group struggling to maintain control. It appears they had to resort to using duct tape to quickly secure the agitated passenger.
Footage obtained by Local 10 News shows the man being held down in what seemed to be the airplane galley, as he continued to thrash and shout. Additional video exhibited passengers putting duct tape over his mouth in an apparent attempt to quell the chaos until security personnel could arrive on the scene.
Despite the alarming incident, flight 9948 did not experience any delays, landing at Miami International Airport as per its scheduled early Saturday arrival. "That is very nerve-racking, that's crazy that happens you know," one passenger told Local 10 News, responding to the ordeal.
As of Saturday afternoon, there were no arrests reported following the incident. American Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration have been contacted by Local 10 News but have yet to comment on the situation.
