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Drunken passenger triggers UK-Dominican Republic flight's diversion to Bermuda

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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The plane was forced to land at Bermuda airport
Image: James G. Howes.

An international holiday flight was diverted after a British passenger allegedly became abusive to cabin crew. The Boeing 767, owned by Thomson Airways, landed in Bermuda; the woman is said to have attacked crewmembers.

The flight was carrying 260 passengers to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic from Manchester Airport. According to The Sun, the 45-year-old women was drinking alcohol from a secret stash. Cabin crew restrained her over disruption; she was handcuffed to her seat over the alleged assault.

Brett Kenyon, 27, a passenger, said she was "shouting incoherently... She went for them [crew] and hit one of the male stewards. He had a big shiner. Even when police took her she was struggling and tried to run off."

Thomson Airways released a statement saying the flight had diverted "following an incident involving a female passenger. The local authorities were notified of this incident and, in accordance with our procedures, the aircraft was met by the police upon landing at Bermuda airport where the passenger was removed from the flight".

The women has since returned to the UK after she was escorted by two Bermudian police officers to Manchester Airport.


Sources