Comedian Tommy Tiernan has revealed he was involved in a terrifying airplane incident which saw a fellow passenger attempt to open the door mid-flight.
Tommy, 54, who played Gerry Quinn in hit series Derry Girls, recalled how a person caused carnage on a packed flight from America when he began "roaring and shouting" before being tackled to the floor and causing the flight to make an emergency landing.
Speaking on the Tommy, Hector and Laurita podcast, Tommy opened up on the terrifying experience, admitting that he suspected the passenger was under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident.
"So, roaring and shouting (from economy). Next thing, there are no air stewards in business class. Everyone seems to have disappeared. It's a bit strange but it quietened down for a while," the comedian explained.
The captain then made an announcement, informing passengers of an "incident" on board and that he was going to have to re-route to Winnipeg.
Tommy said: "So we're thinking… because people die on airplanes and I hadn't connected the two at this stage. One of the stewards came up and said there is a young fella going ballistic in the back and he lost the plot. He was sitting down and he was crying and roaring and shouting. He went to open the exit door."
The 54 year old said his sound man Darren helped pin down the passenger after he tried to open the safety door on the airplane.
"He was crying saying 'I want my mammy and I'm not a terrorist'. Then all belligerent again trying to open the door. He had to pay for, the plane had to be refuelled in Winnipeg. The airline had to pay ground fees, etc. He's liable for all that. He's probably banned from the airline," the actor explained on his podcast.
The man in question was then handcuffed before being removed from the plane by police in Winnipeg. Tommy said he and the rest of the passengers had to sit for three hours on the runway before the plan was able to take off again, with his flight then taking 17 hours to get home.
"Everybody was relieved when he left and everybody felt sorry for him, I think. But once you start to open the safety door…. You know…," Tommy laughed as he concluded his recollection of the terrifying experience on his podcast.
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