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Plane grounded 5,000 miles from destination after passenger smears feces all over both toilet cubicles

The flight was scheduled to resume Friday afternoon

Clark Mindock
New York
Friday 05 January 2018 23:25 GMT
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A file photo of a United Airlines flight, which
A file photo of a United Airlines flight, which (Getty)

A passenger plane was forced to land in Anchorage on its way to Hong Kong after a man smeared his feces on the walls of the in-flight bathroom, airports officials said.

United Flight 895, which originated out of Chicago was diverted to Anchorage and grounded Thursday night due to a “passenger smearing feces everywhere,” Ted Stevens, of the International Airport Police, told a local CBS station.

Airport Police say that the alleged excrement-smearer hit at least two of the bathrooms on the plane, and took off his shirt at some point and tried to stuff it into the toilet.

By the time the plane landed, the man was cooperative with the flight crew and seate.d

The plane, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.com, landed at the Anchorage airport at around 6.20 p.m. local time

No charges have so far been filed in relation to the excrement smearing, but the man was reportedly taken to a nearby hospital to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. He was met at the airport by FBI agents and the Airport Police, both of which interviewed him about his actions and intent.

The FBI has indicated they are investigating the incident, alongside the Airport Police.

The Boeing 777 that was taking passengers to Hong Kong did not immediately take off again, and was grounded over night. It was scheduled to take off again at roughly 2 p.m. Friday local time.

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