A man travelling on a small passenger plane wrenched open the door of the aircraft while it was flying at 33,000ft over northern Canada and leapt to his death, according to police.
The cabin of the aircraft suddenly depressurised and the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing with the door of the plane still ajar.
The 20-year-old passenger had become unruly during the flight and the aircraft's pilots had struggled with him but were unable to prevent him opening the door and jumping out.
The Adlair Aviation plane with two pilots and two passengers was flying from Yellowknife to Cambridge Bay, a remote community in western Nunavut, when the man jumped on Wednesday night, said Staff Sgt Harold Trupish of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The Beechcraft King Air 200 twin-turboprop was about 110 miles from the Cambridge Bay airport when the man jumped, he said. Police were searching for the body of the man, whose name was not released.
"The plane came in with the door open," said Trupish. "Somehow they were able to control the aircraft to land. The three other people are all OK."
Paul Laserich, general manager of the small family-run airline, which has operated in north Canada for 25 years, praised the pilots for managing to land the plane and get the remaining passenger to safety while freezing arctic air roared through the cabin.
"They brought the ship safely back. Everybody is OK. They are a little shaken up. They are OK. That is what is most important," Laserich said.
He said the pilot was too distressed to talk to reporters.
the doors to a plane should not even be able to be unlocked unless it is done by the pilot. issues like this should really be addressed before planes are allowed in the air.
He's only 20 so it's unlikely that it's due to financial problems although that is possibility. Maybe he just had a panic attack due to some mental condition.
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"Your distress about life might mean you have been living for the wrong reason, not that you have no reason for living." Tom O' Connor
Yes, it's suicide. But, I think what Ayesha meant was more along the lines of are there any theories on why this apparent suicide happened. I agree with Peter. He's young and could have been foolish with his money to the point that he thought he would never see the light at the end of the tunnel while trying to dig his way out of debt. With no apparent way out while living, he chose death. Or he could have had schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia do these kinds of things.
My only guess to why the man jumped to his death was from being suicidal. The man not only acted unjust but put other lives in jepardy as well. By opening the plane door the piolits were forced to perform an emergancy landing to save the lives of the passengers. Hearing these types of stories breaks my heart.
He must have had something wrong in the head :( Or maybe he was planning on commiting suicide and felt that that was the way for him to do it, as sad as that sounds. It seems like he wasnt flying with anyone else so maybe it was the purpose for him getting on that flight? :( BUt It seems strange to me that he is able to get up and open the door that easily.
-- Edited by Vanessabug on Wednesday 22nd of April 2009 05:51:26 PM
I think that it's not fair to the people on board for him to put that kind of emotional stress on them but then again his life is his life and he can do what he want suntil it hurts others. I think he should have just done it on his own or something lke go sky diving and just don't pull the cord.
I know others will think this is kind of sick but think how liberating that must have been. Flying through the air with not a care in the world and just thinking (or even praying for some). Makes me want to go sky diving and I hate heights.
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It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds. Samuel Adams
He must have had something wrong in the head :( Or maybe he was planning on commiting suicide and felt that that was the way for him to do it, as sad as that sounds. It seems like he wasnt flying with anyone else so maybe it was the purpose for him getting on that flight? :( BUt It seems strange to me that he is able to get up and open the door that easily.
-- Edited by Vanessabug on Wednesday 22nd of April 2009 05:51:26 PM
The 20-year-old passenger had become unruly during the flight and the aircraft's pilots had struggled with him but were unable to prevent him opening the door and jumping out.
I don't think it was that easy to open the door but it shouldn't have happened either way.
He must have had something wrong in the head :( Or maybe he was planning on commiting suicide and felt that that was the way for him to do it, as sad as that sounds. It seems like he wasnt flying with anyone else so maybe it was the purpose for him getting on that flight? :( BUt It seems strange to me that he is able to get up and open the door that easily.
-- Edited by Vanessabug on Wednesday 22nd of April 2009 05:51:26 PM
The 20-year-old passenger had become unruly during the flight and the aircraft's pilots had struggled with him but were unable to prevent him opening the door and jumping out.
I don't think it was that easy to open the door but it shouldn't have happened either way.
i mean obviously it must not have been really simple. but i dont understand how he was able to open it without a key? a code? how did he do it without airplane personnel seeing him? its just bizarre.