Passengers on a flight in Quebec’s Côte-Nord region had to subdue a man who was trying to break into the plane’s cockpit on Wednesday evening. The small aircraft made an emergency landing at La Romaine Airport, and the suspect was arrested by the Sûreté du Québec (SQ). “No one was injured. However, several people are in a state of shock,” said Marc Tessier, a spokesperson with the SQ. The plane was scheduled to fly from Blanc-Sablon to La Romaine and end in Sept-Îles. The incident reportedly occurred shortly after takeoff from the second location. “After about 10 minutes of flight, the plane turned around and returned to La Romaine,” said Tessier. At 5 p.m., police were informed that “people had subdued a person in crisis on board the plane.” The man, in his 30s, reportedly “attempted to open the cockpit door and caused some damage to the restroom door,” said Tessier. He was transported to a hospital for treatment, and his life is not in danger. There were 13 passengers and three crew members on board the aircraft — two pilots and a flight attendant. The passengers were able to board another flight to Sept-Îles. An investigation is underway to determine whether charges will be filed against the individual. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 8, 2026.
