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Tuesday, May 13, 2025
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Woman Tried To Open Plane Door At 37,000 Feet Because "Jesus Told Her"
The disturbance on the flight ultimately forced the pilot to make an emergency landing, where the woman who attacked a passenger was arrested.
A woman was arrested after a flight in the United States had to make an emergency landing because she tried to open the side door of the aircraft at 37,000 feet. According to documents released by US District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, 34-year-old Elom Agbegninou said in midflight that "Jesus told her to open the plane door," as reported by Click2Houston. The incident took place on a Southwest Flight 192 from Houston, Texas, to Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.
Ms Agbegninou made the attempt to open the door of the flight when she allegedly became frustrated that flight attendants prevented her from reaching the emergency exit, the outlet further said.
A stunned fellow passenger intervened and tried to stop Ms Agbegninou, but the woman bit him on the thigh. The man had to force his finger in her jaw to get free.
According to court documents, the woman went to the back of the plane where she "stared" at the exit door. A flight attendant soon reached the spot and asked her to either use the lavatory or sit down.
A second flight attendant said that Ms Agbegninou then asked if she could look out of the window. When the flight attendants said no, she forced her way past them and began to pull the handle of the exit door.
A passenger then heard someone saying "she's trying to open the door," and went to the back of the plane to help. That's when Ms Agbegninou bit him, according to documents.
The court documents further noted that the woman then began hitting her head on the plane floor and later said, "Jesus told her to fly to Ohio and Jesus told her to open the plane door."
The disturbance on the flight ultimately forced the pilot to make an emergency landing at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock.
Once safely on the ground, Ms Agbegninou was arrested and removed by officers while the bite victim was given treatment. The woman later told the police that she left home without informing her husband and was hoping to visit a family friend in Maryland.
The woman also claimed she "had not flown in a long time" and "became very anxious and normally would not have done such things", according to the outlet.
Ms Agbegninou made the attempt to open the door of the flight when she allegedly became frustrated that flight attendants prevented her from reaching the emergency exit, the outlet further said.
A stunned fellow passenger intervened and tried to stop Ms Agbegninou, but the woman bit him on the thigh. The man had to force his finger in her jaw to get free.
According to court documents, the woman went to the back of the plane where she "stared" at the exit door. A flight attendant soon reached the spot and asked her to either use the lavatory or sit down.
A second flight attendant said that Ms Agbegninou then asked if she could look out of the window. When the flight attendants said no, she forced her way past them and began to pull the handle of the exit door.
A passenger then heard someone saying "she's trying to open the door," and went to the back of the plane to help. That's when Ms Agbegninou bit him, according to documents.
The court documents further noted that the woman then began hitting her head on the plane floor and later said, "Jesus told her to fly to Ohio and Jesus told her to open the plane door."
The disturbance on the flight ultimately forced the pilot to make an emergency landing at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock.
Once safely on the ground, Ms Agbegninou was arrested and removed by officers while the bite victim was given treatment. The woman later told the police that she left home without informing her husband and was hoping to visit a family friend in Maryland.
The woman also claimed she "had not flown in a long time" and "became very anxious and normally would not have done such things", according to the outlet.
