Romain Rouillard / Photo credit: Jc Milhet / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP
A Ryanair flight from the United Kingdom to Marrakech had to turn around mid-flight due to the disruptive behavior of certain passengers, suspected of having taken drugs. The police intervened, but reported no arrests.
Back to square one. On December 7, reports the Daily Mail, a Ryanair plane had to turn around after taking off from Stansted Airport in the United Kingdom and heading towards Marrakech, Morocco. A decision motivated, according to the British media, by the inappropriate behavior of certain travelers who would have “verbally attacked the flight attendants and consumed drugs”, the police said.
“This flight from Stansted to Marrakech (December 7) returned to Stansted Airport shortly after takeoff when a small group of passengers disrupted the flight,” the airline confirmed, adding that the police were present to welcome the plane on its return to Stansted.
“It was chaotic”
Upon landing, the police carried out checks inside the aircraft, but found no trace of drugs, nor made any arrests, said Essex Police. The disruptive passengers were, however, taken outside the machine, while the other travelers were transferred to another plane which was able to reach Marrakech in the evening.
Questioned by the British press agency SWNS, several of them confided their unease at this incongruous situation. “It was chaotic. Everyone was panicking and wondering what was going on,” says a 25-year-old passenger who continues: “We discovered that the plane was turning back towards Stansted about an hour after the beginning of the flight. When we finally landed, about four armed police officers boarded.” The Irish company then sent a message of apology “for the inconvenience caused to travelers due to these disruptive passengers”.