An inquest has opened into the death of Callum Kerr, a 30-year-old man from Warrington who died after being restrained by members of the public and police on a Jet2 flight from Larnaca, Cyprus, to Manchester Airport.
Incident Details
Mr Kerr was said to have become disruptive on the flight after consuming alcohol. The court heard that cabin crew had stopped serving him additional drinks. A reported altercation occurred between Mr Kerr and other passengers. As the plane prepared to land, he refused to retake his seat and was restrained on the floor by passengers and a cabin crew member.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers were called to the airport at around 2:25 am on Monday, June 22, 2026, following reports of a man behaving aggressively towards passengers and crew. The plane landed at 2:23 am, and four GMP officers boarded at 2:41 am. They found Mr Kerr restrained in a seated position, leaning forward. Officers applied handcuffs and quickly noted he was unresponsive.
Medical Response and Death
Officers commenced CPR, and paramedics from North West Ambulance Service arrived at 2:50 am. Mr Kerr was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital, where he died on June 23, 2026.
Senior coroner Zak Golombeck, presiding at Manchester Coroner's Court on Tuesday, July 14, set a provisional date for a pre-inquest review on February 8, 2027, as investigations continue.
Police Watchdog Investigation
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation due to police contact. 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. This will focus on the actions of police, while a separate GMP investigation is considering the actions of the members of the public involved.”
GMP confirmed it is assisting the IOPC. Chief Superintendent Mike Allen stated: “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. I know there were many people on the flight who witnessed the violence and disruption prior to officers' arrival. We know passengers and aircrew worked to detain the man to bring the incident to an end. Our detectives are investigating this to understand the full circumstances.”
Family and Background
Mr Kerr was described as a bareknuckle boxer and cage fighter. In a statement issued through police, his family said: “Callum was a family man, father to three beautiful young children, a lover of sport and with a heart of gold.”
A Jet2 spokesperson previously 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.”
