The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into the death of a man who became unresponsive after being restrained by members of the public and handcuffed by a police officer on a Jet2 flight at Manchester Airport. Callum Kerr, 35, from Warrington, died in hospital the day after the incident on June 22, 2026.
Incident Details
Mr. Kerr was on flight LS966 from Larnaca, Cyprus, to Manchester when he became disruptive, reportedly after consuming alcohol beforehand. The aircraft requested a priority landing due to the disruptive passenger. Upon landing at 2:25 am, officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) boarded the plane following reports of a man behaving aggressively towards passengers and crew.
According to the IOPC, Mr. Kerr had already been restrained by passengers and cabin crew when five police officers arrived. One officer applied handcuffs and began checks, but quickly realized Mr. Kerr was unresponsive. Officers began CPR before paramedics rushed him to hospital, where he died on June 23.
IOPC Investigation
The IOPC confirmed that GMP made a mandatory referral due to police contact with Mr. Kerr. At this stage, the officers are being treated as witnesses, not subjects of investigation. IOPC director of engagement Amanda Rowe said: "Our thoughts are with Mr Kerr’s family and loved ones, as well as all those affected by his death. I want to reassure people our investigation will be thorough, and independent of the police, to ensure we understand exactly what has happened."
The IOPC will focus on police actions, while a separate GMP investigation examines the actions of members of the public who restrained Mr. Kerr. Rowe added: "We have been in contact with Mr Kerr's family to make them aware of our role and will keep them, and GMP, updated as our investigation progresses."
Family Statement
In a statement issued through police, Mr. Kerr's family described him as "a family man, father to three beautiful young children, a lover of sport and with a heart of gold." Mr. Kerr was also known as a bareknuckle boxer and cage fighter.
Police and Airline Response
Chief Superintendent Mike Allen of GMP said: "Firstly my thoughts are with Callum's family and all those impacted by this incident. An investigation is now underway to establish what happened during the flight and our specialist officers have been keeping them updated with all the information we know so far."
He confirmed that passengers and aircrew worked to detain the man, and that detectives are investigating the full circumstances. Allen added: "It is mandatory for a referral to be made to the IOPC. We will fully assist with their investigation into the actions of the police, where our officers have been independently declared as witnesses rather than being investigated for their conduct."
A Jet2 spokesperson said: "We can confirm that flight LS966 from Larnaca to Manchester requested a priority landing on (Monday 22nd June), due to a disruptive passenger incident. We can confirm that a passenger has been taken to hospital. As an investigation is underway, it would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment at this time."
