Pilot makes emergency landing in Canada after passenger jumps to his death from small aircraft

This article is more than 11 years old

This article is more than 11 years old

A man travelling on a small passenger plane wrenched open the door of the aircraft while it was flying at 33,000ft over northern Canada and leapt to his death, according to police.

The cabin of the aircraft suddenly depressurised and the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing with the door of the plane still ajar.

The 20-year-old passenger had become unruly during the flight and the aircraft's pilots had struggled with him but were unable to prevent him opening the door and jumping out.

The Adlair Aviation plane with two pilots and two passengers was flying from Yellowknife to Cambridge Bay, a remote community in western Nunavut, when the man jumped on Wednesday night, said Staff Sgt Harold Trupish of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The Beechcraft King Air 200 twin-turboprop was about 110 miles from the Cambridge Bay airport when the man jumped, he said. Police were searching for the body of the man, whose name was not released.

"The plane came in with the door open," said Trupish. "Somehow they were able to control the aircraft to land. The three other people are all OK."

Paul Laserich, general manager of the small family-run airline, which has operated in north Canada for 25 years, praised the pilots for managing to land the plane and get the remaining passenger to safety while freezing arctic air roared through the cabin.

"They brought the ship safely back. Everybody is OK. They are a little shaken up. They are OK. That is what is most important," Laserich said.

He said the pilot was too distressed to talk to reporters.