Horror as passenger tries to hijack Delta flight and break into cockpit screaming ‘stop this plane’

Passengers and cabin crew staff were forced to restrain a man on a flight after he tried to break into the cockpit shouting: "Stop the plane".

Per KOAT-TV, the Delta Airlines plane, which was on its way to Nashville from Los Angeles on June 4, had to make an emergency landing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at around 2:00 PM after the troubled passenger began wreaking havoc.

Cellphone footage shows the unnamed man on the floor of the plane as he is held down by fellow passengers and airline workers. He is eventually carried away from the front of the plane with his hands and feet bound.

FBI agents and police took the disruptive man into custody when the plane landed in Albuquerque. According to authorities, no injuries were sustained in the incident.

"The passenger was not successful. The plane landed safely and the passenger was removed by police and the FBI. He is in custody now," Delta Airlines said in a statement to KOAT-TV.

The Twitter account for FBI Albuquerque tweeted at the time: "The #FBI is responding to a report of a diverted flight at @ABQSunport. There is no threat to the public at this time."

Twitter user Jessica Robertson, who shared the above video of the ordeal, wrote: "I was on this flight in the 3rd row - witness to everything. Terrifying but our @Delta flight attendant Christopher Williams acted quickly.

"So did several passengers around me. Safe but still in Albuquerque. Hope @delta gives Chris every bit of recognition and bonus he deserves."

In the caption for the video, she shared: "This was our view from the 3rd row right after the @Delta attendants and passengers apprehended the person who attempted to get into the cockpit. He was screaming 'Stop the plane'."

Another passenger shared a photo of flight attendant Christopher Williams who helped restrain the unidentified man. Tagging the airline, they wrote: "This man needs an award.. just saved the plane. LA flight to Nashville.."

Following the emergency landing, passengers waited for five hours at Albuquerque International Sunport before boarding a new flight that took them on to Nashville.

Featured image credit: Pexels / Sourav Mishra