US: Man climbs on plane's wing after opening emergency exit, hospitalised

After opening the emergency exit hatch, a man alleged climbed out onto a plane’s wing in New Orleans Sunday. He was then taken to a hospital for assessment, according to officials.

According to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport while the plane was stationary at the skyway.

What caused the passenger to open the emergency exit is unknown.

The sheriff’s office said, “He was found on the tarmac and taken to a nearby hospital for assessment.” About the nature of the hospitalization, officials withheld information.

There are still unanswered questions regarding the event.

The sheriff’s office reports that no criminal charges have been filed in relation to the incident, and federal authorities have been tasked with conducting the investigation.

Following a short delay, the flight eventually took off for Atlanta and proceeded to Baltimore, according to Southwest Airlines.

The airline issued a statement saying, “We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience and commend our flight and ground crews for their swift action.”

Although the airport acknowledged that there was an incident involving “an unauthorized deplaning of the aircraft by a Southwest Airlines passenger,” it declined to comment further, referring inquiries to the sheriff’s office.