Passenger on United Airlines Flight Arrested After Opening Emergency Door and Exiting Moving Plane

A United Airlines passenger was arrested early Thursday morning after he opened the emergency exit door and slid down the wing of the plane as it was taxiing towards the gate at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, NBC News reports. 

“This morning United flight 2478 was taxiing toward the gate at Chicago O’Hare when a passenger opened an aircraft door and exited the plane,” United said in a statement. 

“Our ground crew stopped the individual outside of the aircraft, and the person is now with law enforcement,” the statement continued. “The plane then arrived at the gate and all passengers deplaned safely. The safety of our customers and crew is our highest priority.” 

“I think everybody on the plane was just surprised and kind of shocked as he was going out,” Maryellen Eagelston told WGN News. “I heard everybody yelling, ‘No, no, no’ and he just went out the exit door and onto the wing. … Even the stewardesses came back and said, ‘What just happened?’”

According to NBC Chicago, authorities confirmed an unidentified man was taken into custody and charges are pending.