Ryanair passenger leaves onlookers horrified after 'slapping steward' on flight - but he soon gets his comeuppance
Footage of the apparent altercation went viral on social media
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A Ryanair flight from Liverpool to Tenerife descended into chaos when a passenger appeared to slap a crew member on board - before receiving a dose of instant justice.
Footage from the July 4 flight has just emerged showing the extraordinary altercation, which forced the plane to be diverted thousands of miles off course.
In the video, staff can be seen trying to control a black-clad passenger as he appears to reach for an overhead locker.
The man then appears to slap one of the crew members, prompting shocked gasps from fellow travellers.
The "disruptive" passenger can be seen appearing to slap a steward
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As a crowd attempts to wrestle the man away, a passenger seated nearby swiftly rises from his seat to dish out what appears to be a retributive punch.
The vengeful fisticuffs prompt an even louder shocked gasp, accompanied by laughter from the seated crowd.
Staff then surround the man who appeared to slap a fellow steward, and wrestle him to the ground with the assistance of another passenger, the footage shows.
Ryanair workers were lauded online in the aftermath of the incident, with one passenger claiming to have been on the flight saying that staff got to grips with the violence with "professionalism".
MORE IN-FLIGHT CHAOS:
Another passenger dished out what appears to be a retributive punch
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The social media user alleged that the man who apparently dealt the slap had tried to light cigarettes in the plane's cabin, and was "drunk" on the flight.
The plane, not even halfway through its flight, had to be diverted to Santiago de Compostela in mainland Spain.
There, a squad of police officers was waiting to meet those involved in the fracas on the tarmac.
It remains unclear whether any arrests were made following the altercation, but Ryanair said the flight eventually arrived at its destination, over 1,000 miles away.
The flight was forced to divert to Santiago de Compostela on the way to Tenerife
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Flight controllers later confirmed "the crew of a flight from Liverpool to Tenerife... have contacted us about a conflictive passenger on board and have had to divert to Santiago de Compostela".
A Ryanair spokesman said: "This flight from Liverpool to Tenerife diverted to Santiago after a passenger became disruptive onboard.
"Crew called ahead for police assistance and the aircraft was met by local police upon arrival who removed this passenger before this flight continued to Tenerife.
"This passenger has since been banned from flying with Ryanair."
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