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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Alan Weston

Mum 'terrified' as man 'cut eyeholes in paper to make mask' on Ryanair flight

A Ryanair passenger was "terrified" by the behaviour of a fellow passenger who was allegedly carrying a Swiss army knife.

Mel Beamish, 38, who was travelling with her three children, had already had to leave one plane - after hours of delays - along with all the other passengers when it developed a "mechanical fault", leaving them stranded in Palma de Majorca.

But the situation only got worse for the family when they managed to re-route to Manchester the next morning (Thursday). Here they were alarmed by the allegedly bizarre behaviour of a passenger on board the Ryanair flight.

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Mel, from Chester, said: "I was flying with my three children, aged four, seven and 17. It was our first proper holiday together after I'd lost my husband to cancer.

"It was completely bizarre and I felt terrified for my safety. The passenger wasn't drunk, I don't know what was wrong with him. The attitude of Ryanair staff was 'we've not got any grounds to do anything,' even though he was behaving so oddly. The impression was they just wanted to pacify him until they could get shot of him.

"I didn't see the knife myself, but a passenger went up to the cabin crew to tell them and ask them if a passenger was allowed to bring a Swiss Army-style knife on board. It was crazy. Another passenger offered to swap with the woman who sat near him.

"The man cut himself eyeholes in a sheet of paper to make a mask which he then wore and acted aggressively by intimidating passengers. The cabin crew supervisor was on the phone to the flight deck constantly updating them as to his behaviour and as such, the trolley service was delayed while the pilot came out to view the male in action.

"The flight was nearly three hours but he never seemed to tire. Towards the end of the flight he locked himself in the toilet for around 15 to 20 minutes. The crew were diverting passengers to the other end of the plane.

"It was just odd attention-seeking behaviour. He was about 40 years of age, and could have been German or Scandinavian."

She added: "He appeared to either be under the influence of drugs or with serious psychiatric issues but whatever the case, his behaviour alarmed myself and several other passengers.

"I was in absolute disbelief that this man who was acting so bizarrely and had a knife on board could be tolerated by the crew."

A Ryanair spokesperson said: "Passenger safety was never compromised and any claims that crew did not act in accordance with safety procedures are completely untrue."

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