United Airlines passenger tried to stab flight attendant and open emergency doors

A United Airlines passenger tore into mid-air rant - insisting his father was Dracula - and tried to stab a flight attendant in the neck with a broken metal spoon.

Francisco Severo Torres also tried to open an emergency door on the plane as it travelled from Los Angeles to Boston, Massachusetts. The 34-year-old man rambled at other passengers during the journey, stating he wanted to be shot so he could be reincarnated and that he would kill everyone on board.

When the male flight attendant tried to calm Torres, the tourist punched him and tried to stab him with the modified metal spoon. The steward felt the implement in Torres’ hand hit him on his shirt collar and tie three times, according to court documents.

Torres was eventually subdued and arrested when the flight landed at Boston Logan International Airport. He was today jailed for 26 months at a court in Boston after admitting one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants in relation to the incident on the United Airlines Flight 2609.

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US District Court Judge Patti Saris heard how the defendant loudly rambled at other guests with around 45 minutes left of the journey. A side door on the aircraft became disarmed, according to court documents, and one flight attendant noticed the door’s locking handle had been moved. Another saw Torres near the door and believed he had moved the handle. Cabin pressure during flight prevents airplane doors from opening.

The judge sentenced Torres to time served, which was around two years since the March 2023 episode. He also will be on supervised release for five years, during which he is prohibited from flying on a commercial aircraft.

Torres has spent time in mental health facilities, according to court records. The police chief in his hometown of Leominster, Massachusetts said officers have dealt with him several times since 2014, mostly over family issues and mental health episodes.

But magistrate judge Judith Dein had previously declared the man fit for trial based on a mental health evaluation. It had been argued by Torres' lawyers he was not competent for proceedings.

The case comes after shocking video captured the moment an unruly passenger was detained after policestormed a plane in Turkey recently. The SunExpress flight, which had been heading for Dalaman, was forced to make an unplanned diversion after a passenger became disruptive mid-flight.

The flight took off from Manchester Airport but had to stop almost 700 miles short of its destination at Belgrade in Serbia, at around 10.30pm so cops could deal with the rowdy flyer.