Drunken Briton tried to open plane doors
Victor Mardell, from North London, had been repeatedly asked to stop drinking from two bottles of duty-free whisky he had bought before the eight-and-a-half hour Air 2000 flight from Manchester to Florida on Friday, US authorities said. The 57-year-old economy-class passenger was said to be “extremely drunk” when he had to be restrained by up to seven fellow passengers using seat belts after he threatened to kill them and ‘‘lunged’’ for the American female flight attendants. It was just 20 minutes before the flight was due to land at Orlando-Sanford International Airport that Mardell, who was travelling alone, broke his restraints and went for the first woman crew member, trying to choke her, said eyewitnesses. As the second woman intervened, Mardell is alleged to have thrown her against the cabin toilets, leaving her scratched and bruised.
FBI agents were waiting at Orlando-Sanford International Airport. Mardell was arrested and later charged with the interference of a flight crew and taken to Seminole County Jail.
