A former mixed martial arts fighter helped control a passenger who allegedly tried to open an emergency door and access the cockpit during a Frontier Airlines flight between Puerto Rico and Chicago. The incident forced an emergency landing in Miami and ended with the suspect under arrest.

According to court documents and reports from authorities cited by CNN, the incident occurred aboard a Frontier Airlines flight that covered the route between San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Chicago's O'Hare Airport.

Approximately 45 minutes after takeoff, the passenger identified as Juan Gabriel Reyes, 51, reportedly tried to open one of the aircraft's emergency doors.

When prevented by the crew, he allegedly walked toward the cockpit and began aggressively pushing on the door with his shoulder in an apparent attempt to gain entry.

An expeller intervened to protect the passengers

Among the passengers was Josh Longood, a former mixed martial arts competitor and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, who reacted when he sensed that the situation was getting out of control.

As he later reported, he managed to restrain the man and restrict his movements while other passengers and flight attendants collaborated to immobilize him.

“I just wanted to make sure no one got hurt,” Longood explained after the incident.

Videos recorded by passengers show the former athlete holding the suspect while he screamed and struggled in his seat.

Authorities said Reyes' behavior became increasingly erratic during the flight.

According to the federal complaint, after being removed from the cabin area, he was allowed to use the bathroom. Later he would have tried to urinate on the toilet floor.

Later, when he was relocated to another seat, he allegedly attacked another passenger who tried to intervene, grabbing him by the head and strangling him.

The situation caused several travelers to leave the area for fear of new episodes of violence.

Emergency landing in Miami

Given the seriousness of the events, the crew decided to divert the flight and make an emergency landing at Miami International Airport.

The aircraft touched down shortly before midnight and police officers boarded the plane to remove the suspect.

The flight then continued to Chicago several hours later.

Reyes was arrested and taken to a Miami-Dade County jail.

He was initially charged with physical assault, although he could also face federal charges related to interference with flight crew and assault within federal jurisdiction.

Authorities reported that he remains detained with bail set at $20,000.

Although the incident caused alarm among passengers, aviation experts explain that the emergency doors of commercial airplanes cannot open normally while the aircraft is at high altitude.

The pressure inside the cabin keeps the doors sealed, making them physically impossible to open during a cruise flight.

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reported 687 incidents related to disruptive passengers so far this year.