Coast-to-Coast Flight Diverted After Passenger Stripped, Tried To Open Exit In Flight

Passengers aboard an American Airlines flight Friday afternoon were treated to a bit of inflight drama – and unfortunately it wasn’t the movie being shown on board.

American Airlines Flight 725 from Boston to Los Angeles was diverted to Oklahoma City Friday afternoon after a disturbed passenger took off his clothes, put them back on, and attempted to open an emergency exit in flight before being restrained and subdued by members of a Major League Soccer team. The Boeing 757 landed in Oklahoma City at 1335 Central Time where the passenger was removed and the aircraft continued to Los Angeles an hour later.

"He was completely naked. I mean, he'd taken off his clothes, sleeping across the three seats," said passenger David Pease who was sitting next to the man to KNBC-TV in Los Angeles.

Luckily for the flight crew, members of the New England Revolution professional soccer team who were aboard noticed the odd situation and helped force the man to put his clothing back on.

"Craig Tornberg, our general manager, went over and said, 'You know, you should go back in there and put your clothes on.' And then the steward came over and forced him to go back in there to put his clothes back on, which he did," said Vice President of the New England Revolution Michael Burns to KNBC reporters.

Pease said that the man was clearly not right and was "saying all types of things. Like, 'Well, I can't see you.'"

Burns noted the man was clearly emotional at times. "There were times he was crying. There were times he was kind of laughing. ...It was very strange.”

"Then he sat back down in his seat, and then about five or 10 minutes later, when he got up again, and it appeared as though he was going to the bathroom, but that's when he didn't and went for the emergency exit door," Burns said.

Never thinking they’d need to use their aggressive soccer moves off the field -- much less aboard an airliner -- the coach and two staff members of the soccer team subdued the man and restrained him.

"I made some eye contact with Matt Reis, our goalkeeper, and Shalrie Joseph, our defensive midfielder, who are pretty tough guys, and said, 'Just wait for us, cause we might need you,'" said team general manager Craig Tornberg. "The adrenaline just kind of takes over at the point, and you just kind of pounce. You just react ... it's really anything that anybody would do at that point."

FBI spokesman Gary Johnson said tie wraps were placed on the man's wrists at that point and he was restrained until on the ground in Oklahoma City.

The man was removed from the aircraft and was undergoing mental evaluation in Oklahoma City. His name was not released.

"He was pretty mild as far as a guy who was first, naked, and the secondly, running for the door to jump out," Tornberg said. "If he walked by you right now, you probably wouldn't notice, unless of course he was naked."

The New England Revolution was flying to play Chivas USA as part of the SuperLiga Tournament Sunday.

FMI: www.aa.com, www.revolutionsoccer.net