The man was on an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin Airport (Picture: PA)

A man has died after biting another passenger during a flight from Lisbon to Dublin.

The 24-year-old Brazilian is reported to have become agitated on the Aer Lingus flight before biting another passenger trying to help him.

A woman from Portugal, aged 44, was travelling with him and has been arrested under the Drug Trafficking Act.

It is alleged that 5lbs of suspected amphetamine powder was discovered in her suitcase.


Other passengers on the plane, believed to be medics, also helped in efforts to calm the man.

The pilot diverted to Cork Airport yesterday evening at around 5.40pm, declaring a medical emergency, but the man was pronounced dead on the plane.



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All 168 passengers and crew left the plane with many of them being interviewed by gardai, according to RTE.

Another man was treated for injuries at hospital and all other passengers were returned to Dublin by bus.

A post-mortem exam is to be carried out in an attempt to establish if the man suffered some form of a seizure or had an underlying medical condition or if there was another reason for his condition.