Callum Kerr, a 35-year-old father of three described as having 'a heart of gold', died in hospital after being restrained on a Jet2 flight from Larnaca, Cyprus, to Manchester Airport. Police were called to reports of a man behaving aggressively towards passengers and crew on board.
Incident on Flight LS966
The incident occurred on Monday, June 22, when Jet2 flight LS966 from Larnaca to Manchester requested a priority landing due to a disruptive passenger. At around 2:25am, Greater Manchester Police received a call reporting that a passenger and a cabin crew member had been assaulted.
Upon arrival, officers boarded the aircraft and found Kerr being restrained by passengers and aircrew at the rear of the plane. They used handcuffs to detain him but quickly identified he was unresponsive and began CPR. Paramedics took him to hospital, where he died on Tuesday afternoon, June 23.
Police Investigation and IOPC Referral
Greater Manchester Police said it made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to police coming into contact with Kerr prior to his death. The force emphasized that the referral was not due to any indication of misconduct by the officers involved.
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 and our specialist officers have been keeping them updated with all the information we know so far.'
Family Tribute
Following his death, Kerr's loved ones said: 'Callum was a family man, father to three beautiful young children, a lover of sport and with a heart of gold!'
The force's Major Incident Team is investigating the circumstances on the flight prior to police arrival. Allen added: '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.'
Police Actions Under Scrutiny
Allen stated: 'It is mandatory for a referral to be made to the IOPC. We will fully assist with their investigation into the actions of the police, where our officers have been independently declared as witnesses rather than being investigated for their conduct. Policing is a challenging profession, and we are supporting them through this process.'
Jet2 Statement
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 under way, it would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment at this time.'
Support continues to be provided to Kerr's family and loved ones during this time.
