On Saturday, a woman flying from Houston’s Hobby Airport to Columbus, Ohio, caused havoc after forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Little Rock, Arkansas. The aircraft was 37,000 feet in the air when the incident occurred.
Unusual behaviour
US District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas released documents outlining the incident. They detail that the 34-year-old woman, named Elom Agbegninou, walked to the back of the Southwestern Airlines aircraft, where she stood and “stared” at the exit door. Upon noticing the woman, a flight attendant informed Agbegninou that she could either use the bathroom or return to her seat. According to the flight attendant’s criminal complaint statement, instead of doing either, the passenger asked several other attendants if she could look outside the rear window. Hearing her request had been denied, Agbegninou managed to push past the flight attendant before pulling at the exit door handle in an attempt to open it.
After noticing someone shout, “she’s trying to open the door,” and detecting the disturbance, one unnamed passenger went to the back of the plane to help detain the woman; however, she proceeded to bite him on the thigh and reportedly held on. The man was able to free himself by forcing his finger into her jaw to get the woman to release him. The documents state that Agbegninou then began banging her head on the exit door before explaining that “Jesus told her to fly to Ohio and Jesus told her to open the plane door.”
The outcome
Due to the severity of the situation, the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing at the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, where the woman was arrested and taken into custody. She explained that she “normally would not have done those things” and told authorities that she had planned to stay with a family friend in Maryland who was also a Pastor. She had not, however, informed her husband of this and hadn’t brought any luggage along with her. Agbegninou claimed that she “had not flown in a long time” and had gotten up from her seat due to struggling to breathe on the plane. She also claimed to have anxiety. Despite her explanations, the woman is being charged with assault with maritime and territorial jurisdiction as well as interference with flight crew members.
The bitten passenger was treated with antibiotics and given a hepatitis shot; however, they are reportedly suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety after the incident.
What do you think about this woman’s actions? Let us know in the comments.
