Mid-air horror as flyer wields plastic knife, tries to take crew member hostage & open emergency door (WATCH)

A harrowing moment unfolded on a Copa Airlines flight from Brazil to Panama when an unruly passenger, wielding a plastic knife, attempted to open the aircraft's emergency door just before landing, forcing fellow travelers to intervene and subdue him.

A video shared on X, shows the tense moments as passengers overpower the man, preventing a potential mid-air catastrophe.

According to the New York Post, the flight was running smoothly until approximately 30 minutes prior to landing, when the man allegedly charged toward the back of the aircraft, brandishing a plastic knife from his meal tray.

The passenger even attempted to hold a flight attendant hostage, demanding access to the emergency exit.

Witness and photojournalist Cristiano Carvalho (51), who recorded parts of the incident, described the chaos, “A flight attendant started screaming, and another tried to hold him back, but couldn’t because he was too strong.”

As the situation escalated, Carvalho noted that the passenger disregarded all warnings, charging past the rear emergency exit. “He went past the back emergency door after the warning. Then he started moving forward and trying to open it,” he recalled. At that point, passengers rushed in, grappling with the man in a desperate attempt to restrain him.

The terrifying confrontation occurred early Tuesday aboard Copa Airlines Flight CM204, en route from Brasília to Panama City. Further footage captured the intense aftermath as military personnel boarded the plane upon landing, handcuffing the passenger, whose face was visibly bruised from the scuffle.