A man has died after allegedly headbutting a passenger and being restrained by fellow travellers on a Jet2 flight from Larnaca, Cyprus, to Manchester Airport. The incident occurred on June 21, 2026, during the five-hour flight.
Witness Accounts of the Incident
A woman who was on the flight described the terrifying scenes to the Manchester Evening News. She said her mother believed the man, later identified as Callum Kerr from Warrington, 'was going to kill someone.' Children were crying as Kerr, reportedly heavily intoxicated, hit overhead lockers, pounded on the cockpit door, and shouted and swore at passengers.
According to witnesses, Kerr headbutted a passenger and threatened to fight others. Several travellers restrained him until the aircraft landed at Manchester Airport, where police boarded and took over. Officers began CPR and requested a defibrillator, but Kerr was pronounced dead after being rushed to hospital.
Sequence of Events
The witness recounted that about an hour into the flight, Kerr became abusive. When cabin crew tried to separate him from his girlfriend by moving her to the rear, he became more aggressive, demanding to know her location. The pilot announced that the disruptive passenger would be prosecuted upon landing, which escalated the situation. Kerr then went to the front of the plane, banged on the cockpit door, and spat at a male steward.
Minutes before landing, Kerr got up, headbutted a passenger, and was restrained by several people, including a steward. After the headbutt, he went silent. Upon landing, police boarded and found him not breathing. Passengers were kept on the plane for about an hour and a half to give statements.
Police and Jet2 Response
Greater Manchester Police made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) because police came into contact with Kerr before his death. Chief Superintendent Mike Allen 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.' He confirmed that passengers and aircrew worked to detain Kerr, and that the IOPC will investigate the actions of police, who are witnesses rather than subjects of investigation.
A Jet2 spokesperson said: 'We can confirm that flight LS966 from Larnaca to Manchester requested a priority landing 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.'
Tributes and Aftermath
Heartfelt tributes for Callum Kerr appeared on social media. One person wrote: 'Can't believe I'm writing this RIP Callum Kerr wtf,' while another posted: 'God bless mate we'll catch up again.' The witness said the experience has made her and her mother not want to fly again, describing it as 'sad to see' when the mood dropped after Kerr's condition was discovered.
