Plane forced to land in Seattle after passenger tries to open exit door mid-flight, police say

The man was having a ‘medical crisis’ when he tried to open the exit door, police said

An All Nippon Airways flight was forced to land in Seattle after a passenger tried to open an exit door mid-flight, police say (AFP via Getty Images)

A flight from Tokyo to Houston was forced to land in Seattle after a passenger tried to open an exit door mid-flight, local police said.

A passenger on All Nippon Airways Flight 114 tried to open the exit doors 10 hours into the flight, forcing the plane to land at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport just after 4 a.m. on Saturday, the Port of Seattle Police Department told NBC News.

“Port of Seattle Police were called due to reports of a passenger who attempted to open exit doors during the flight,” a department spokesperson told NBC News. “The report stated that passengers and flight crew had restrained the individual.”

That passenger was having a “medical crisis,” police said. They’ve since been taken to the hospital.

The man accused of trying to open an exit door was having a ‘medical crisis,’ police said (AFP via Getty Images)

While on the tarmac in Seattle, a second person was removed from the flight for “unruly behavior,” the police department told NBC News. While they didn’t provide specifics, the police department said it was unrelated to the individual having a medical crisis, police said.

The flight continued to Houston “without incident,” landing just after noon local time, a spokesperson for All Nippon Airways told NBC News.

“The safety of our passengers and crew are our top priority and we applaud the efforts of local law enforcement for their support,” the spokesperson said.

Ashley, a passenger on board the flight, told Fox 26 she sat near the man who tried to open the doors.

"He actually got up from his seat and crawled over the people next to him," she said of the man. "He got up in a hurry and thought he was sick."

Two other passengers helped restrain him, zip-tying him to his seat. The man sat behind her for about 90 minutes before they landed in Seattle.

"It was incredible," she said. "I do want to say thank you to those kind citizens who stood up and took control. I wouldn't know what to do."