Canadian woman tries to jump out of flying plane

TORONTO - A Canadian woman tried to jump out of a flying plane by trying to open the door.

According to police, the flight operated by WestJet - Canada’s largest private airline - with 131 people on board had taken off from Calgary Tuesday and was on its way to Halifax when the woman passenger grabbed the door.

She was overpowered by the crew and passengers. The plane made an emergency landing at Winnipeg where she was arrested.

“She was close enough actually where she was standing directly in front of the door and made attempts to open it physically,” Winnipeg police spokesman Shaun Chornley was quoted as saying by the Canadian Press.

“She made some verbal indication that she wanted to exit the plane.”

The police spokesman said the crew and terrified passengers quickly managed to subdue her.

“Obviously they were very frightened that this incident was unfolding. It was serious enough…some of the passengers did elect to intervene and assist the airline staff get this person under control,” he said.

It is not known why the woman attempted to open the door.

In a similar incident in Canada last year, a 20-year-old man opened the door and jumped out of a plane flying at 7,000 metres.

His body was never found. The man was said to suffer from mental depression.