UK: A routine Ryanair flight from Milan to London turned chaotic when two male passengers began destroying their passports during the journey. Witnesses reported that one man calmly tore out pages from his passport and ate them, while the other locked himself inside the aircraft lavatory, apparently trying to flush his document away. The bizarre behavior left passengers unsettled, with cabin crew repeatedly knocking on the toilet door and attempting to manage the escalating situation.
The incident occurred aboard a Boeing 737, prompting the pilot to divert the flight to Paris for safety and security reasons. French police boarded the aircraft upon landing at Paris Beauvais Airport and immediately removed both men from the plane. Authorities then carried out a thorough baggage check to ensure no further security risks were present before the flight was cleared to continue its journey to London Stansted Airport.
Passengers described the episode as intense and frightening. One traveler recounted it as “the most terrifying 15 minutes of my life,” noting the uncertainty in the cabin as events unfolded. Despite the disruption, Ryanair’s crew were praised for their calm and decisive handling of the situation, which helped to reassure passengers and prevent panic.
Officials suspect the men may have been attempting to destroy their travel documents to obscure their identities before reaching the UK — a tactic sometimes used by individuals seeking to claim asylum. Investigations by French authorities are underway to establish the men’s identities, their motives, and whether any immigration or security violations occurred as a result of their actions on board.
