Drunk man dragged off Ryanair flight by ear after mid-air emergency exit attempt: Here's what happened | Watch
A Ryanair flight from London to Alicante was diverted to Toulouse due to disruptive, drunken passengers.
A Ryanair flight from London Luton to Alicante was forced to make an emergency landing in Toulouse, France, after a group of allegedly drunk British passengers caused chaos on board.
In viral footage, which has been widely shared online, French police can be seen boarding the aircraft and forcibly removing several men. One passenger, later identified as Daniel Ashley-Laws, was filmed being yanked by the ear and dragged down the aisle as fellow travelers cheered and sang “cheerio”, Metro reported.
As per the New York Post, police said Ashley-Laws, who goes by Dan Rizz on social media, was seated next to an emergency exit and allegedly tried to open the door mid-flight.
Drunken stag do turns violent
The men were part of a rowdy stag bound for Benidorm, with witnesses claiming the group had been drinking duty-free alcohol before boarding.
When French officers boarded the plane, two men went quietly, but the situation escalated when they approached Ashley-Laws. The viral video showed him refusing to move, shouting, before clambering onto his seat.
Police grappled with him, at one point hurling him across the aisle towards stunned passengers. He kept screaming until he was finally hauled away. His son, who protested, was also removed after he shouted at the police.
Arrests and aftermath of the situation
The French gendarmerie confirmed five men were detained. A police source told The Sun that Ashley-Laws’ blood alcohol level was extremely high, and it took them hours before he could be questioned. Despite reports he was in custody, photos later appeared online showing him in Benidorm, joking about the incident in a Hawaiian shirt while friends pulled on his ear in mock imitation of the police.
The flight eventually departed Toulouse around 10.15 PM (local time) and continued to Alicante without further incident.
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Airline and police reactions
A Ryanair spokesperson stated that the flight from London Luton to Alicante was diverted to Toulouse due to several passengers disrupting the flight. “The crew requested police assistance, who removed these passengers. Ryanair has a zero-tolerance policy towards unacceptable passenger behaviour and will continue to take strict measures to ensure a safe journey,” New York Post quoted the spokesperson as saying.
Commander Ludovic Fornari of the Air Transport Gendarmerie, according to The Sun, praised the “extreme professionalism” of his team during the high-risk removal.
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FAQs
Q: Why was the Ryanair flight diverted to France?
The flight from London Luton to Alicante was diverted to Toulouse after several allegedly drunk passengers became disruptive and one of them reportedly tried to open an emergency exit.
Q: Who was the passenger dragged off the plane by his ear?
He has been identified as Daniel Ashley-Laws, also known as Dan Rizz on social media.
Q: How many people were taken into custody?
Five men, including Ashley-Laws and his son, were removed by French police and detained.
