Air Canada passenger opens aircraft door, falls onto tarmac, authorities say
An Air Canada flight from Toronto to Dubai was delayed for almost six hours after a passenger aboard opened a cabin door and fell to the tarmac while the airplane was at the gate, injuring themselves, Peel Regional Police said.
Authorities said in a release they responded to a call for a man who had "opened an aircraft door and fallen out onto the tarmac while the aircraft was at the gate and boarding" around 9 p.m. on Monday.
The man had minor injuries from his fall and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Upon investigation, it was determined that the man was "in a state of crisis" when the incident occurred. He was later apprehended by the police.
A spokesperson of the Toronto Pearson International Airport told USA TODAY that airport authorities were alerted of the incident Monday evening and worked closely with the airline, Peel Regional Police and Peel EMS to "support and determine the immediate needs".
Passenger boarded 'normally'
Air Canada did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for information but told Global News Canada that its aircraft, a Boeing 777, was preparing for takeoff at the Toronto Pearson International Airport when the incident occurred.
The airline told the media outlet the passenger had boarded flight AC056 "normally" but instead of going to his seat, went to the opposite side of the aircraft and opened a cabin door. Emergency services and authorities arrived at the scene to assist the man, Air Canada told Global News.
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“We can confirm all of our approved boarding and cabin operating procedures were followed,” Air Canada said in a statement to Global News, adding that it is continuing to investigate the incident.
As a result of the incident, the flight, which was scheduled to carry 319 passengers, was delayed and departed almost six hours after its initial take off time, according to Air Canada's flight tracker.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Air Canada passenger opens cabin door, falls onto tarmac
