Passenger bites traveller, tries to open plane door, says ‘Jesus’ told her to do it

The Southwest flight diverted to Arkansas following the incident with an unruly passenger. Photo / Kyle Fritz, Unsplash

A Southwest flight bound for Ohaio made an emergency landing in Arkansas on Saturday, reporting a serious injury caused by an unruly passenger.

The diverted flight 192 from Houston to Columbus was met on the runway of Little Rock Airport by police, after reports that a passenger had to be restrained for trying to force open the emergency exits mid-flight.

Court documents - which name the passenger as Elom Agbegninou, 34 - say the passenger had tried to force her way to the rear doors of the plane and had “bitten” the inner thigh of another traveller.

The District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas noted that crew were aware of the passenger loitering at the back of the plane. She was told to either “use the bathroom or sit down”.

The female passenger had asked cabin crew if she could look out the porthole of the rear door, according to the court filings seen by KPRC 2, to which she was told “no, she could not”. At this point she became violent.

It is then recorded that other passengers overheard a struggle at the back of the plane and someone say: “She’s trying to open the door!”

The passenger was trying to pull the door release handle at 37000ft (11km) altitude.

One traveller attempted to aid the crew in restraining the unruly passenger, who promptly bit this aider on the thigh. Court documents say the woman would not release her bite until forced by the victim, who “worked their fingers up to [her] jawline in an attempt to have [her] release the bite, which she eventually did.”

Restrained, Elom Agbegninou reportedly proceeded to hit her head on the floor of the plane as it was diverted to Arkansas, saying “Jesus told her to fly to Ohio” and “Jesus told her to open the plane door.”

Court filings say the passenger was travelling alone, without luggage and she had not told her husband of her travel plans.

A spokesperson for FBI Little Rock told USA TODAY that the bite victim was taken to hospital, where they received antibiotics and a hepatitis shot.

The criminal complaint received by East District of Arkansas show Agbegninou is facing charges of assault and interference with flight crew members and attendants.