U.K. flight diverted to Iqaluit due to allegedly drunk man
Police say passengers had to help flight attendants restrain man
A 39-year-old man has been arrested after an Air Transat flight he was on from Vancouver to the U.K. was diverted to Iqaluit at about 3 a.m. ET Wednesday.
Police said Darren Edward Cosby was intoxicated and acting "belligerent and aggressive."
They say passengers had to help flight attendants restrain the man while the pilot landed the plane. A spokesperson for Air Transat said flight attendants are trained to deal with unruly passengers, but some are too much to handle.
The airline added that no one was hurt or in physical danger.
Iqaluit RCMP arrested Cosby after the Airbus A330 plane landed. He faces charges of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, mischief, and causing a disturbance.
He also faces a charge under the Aeronautics Act of endangering the safety or security of an aircraft in flight by interfering with the performance of the duties of a crew member.
Cosby is currently in police custody in Iqaluit.
If found guilty, he could face a fine of up to $100,000 and five years in prison.
The Air Transat flight 242 continued on to London's Gatwick airport shortly after the landing. The remaining 328 passengers arrived a few hours late, as did the man's luggage.
There are no roads leading in or out of Iqaluit — the city is only accessible by air or water.