Shocking Brawl Involving 10 Passengers Forces Plane to Turn Back Minutes After Takeoff

An easyJet flight carrying 186 passengers was forced to turn back just 30 minutes after takeoff when a heated dispute involving two British families erupted onboard.

Flight EZY3352 had departed from Tenerife South Airport in Spain on Tuesday, July 21, and was headed to Liverpool, England, when a group of roughly 10 passengers began behaving disruptively, according to the airline and Spanish air traffic controllers.

The disturbance reportedly became serious enough for the captain to determine that continuing the flight could endanger the safety of passengers and crew.

Spanish air traffic control said the crew reported that a fight had broken out among a group of passengers.

“The captain decided to return due to the danger it posed to the safety of the flight,” air traffic controllers said.

Controllers gave the aircraft priority clearance to return to Tenerife while coordinating with airport officials to make sure police were waiting when it landed.

“Our full support goes out to the crews and passengers who are increasingly having to endure these situations,” the agency added.

However, Spanish police later offered a somewhat different account of what happened.

A police spokesperson said the trouble apparently began with a heated argument between two families inside the airport terminal before they boarded the plane. The dispute then continued once the families were onboard.

Police said they had not confirmed that an actual physical fight took place during the flight.

Eight British passengers — two adults and six children — were removed from the aircraft after it returned to Tenerife South Airport.

No arrests were made, but all eight passengers were identified by authorities, according to police.

The plane was able to take off again after the passengers were removed and the situation was brought under control.

Flight EZY3352 eventually arrived at Liverpool John Lennon Airport at approximately 2:19 a.m., nearly two hours behind schedule.

easyJet confirmed that the plane returned to Tenerife because a group of passengers had been behaving disruptively and that police met the aircraft after it landed.

“Our cabin and ground crew are trained to assess all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time,” an easyJet spokesperson said.

The airline made it clear that aggressive or disruptive conduct would not be tolerated.

“We take these incidents very seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behavior towards our staff,” the spokesperson added. “The safety and wellbeing of customers and crew is always our highest priority.”

The alarming incident comes just months after another easyJet flight was diverted because of allegedly disruptive passengers.

In May, an easyJet flight traveling from London to Antalya, Turkey, was forced to change course after an allegedly intoxicated man and woman began causing trouble onboard.

A fellow passenger claimed the woman spat at another traveler while the man allegedly threatened people seated nearby.

In the latest incident, everyone remaining aboard the Liverpool-bound flight ultimately reached their destination safely, but only after the confrontation forced hundreds of passengers to endure an unexpected return to the airport and a delay of nearly two hours.