- Four passengers and a flight attendant restrained the man after he allegedly tried to enter the cockpit.
- The pilot returned to La Romaine about ten minutes after takeoff; police arrested the passenger after landing.
- No one was injured, but several passengers were in shock; investigators were assessing whether to refer charges to prosecutors.
A Quebec regional flight made an emergency landing at La Romaine on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, after a passenger allegedly tried to force his way into the cockpit. Four passengers and a flight attendant restrained him. The plane returned about 10 minutes after takeoff.
The flight was travelling from Blanc-Sablon to Sept-Îles, with a scheduled stop in La Romaine. The man boarded there. Another passenger also got on during the stop, according to the incident account.
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The crisis began soon after the aircraft left the airport. The pilot turned back, and officers from the Sûreté du Québec arrested the man after the aircraft landed.
Sgt. Marc Tessier, a police spokesperson, said the man allegedly “tried to open the cockpit door and caused some damage to the toilet door.” Passengers and a crew member intervened. No injuries were reported.
Passengers and a crew member restrained the man before landing
Four passengers and the flight attendant subdued the man while the aircraft was in the air. Their intervention came before the pilot turned around and returned to La Romaine.
Police received notice at about 5 p.m. Eastern Time that a passenger in crisis had been restrained aboard the plane. The aircraft had 13 passengers and three crew members: two pilots and one flight attendant.
Tessier described the passengers’ condition after the incident:
“No one was injured. However, several people are in a state of shock.”
The aircraft landed at La Romaine, where the local Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent station handled the arrest. The man was in his 30s. Police took him to hospital for treatment, and Tessier said his life was not in danger.
The other passengers later continued their journey to Sept-Îles on another flight. Their original service did not continue onward after returning to La Romaine.
The suspect went to hospital after officers arrested him
Police described the incident as involving a person in crisis. Tessier said officers were alerted after people aboard the aircraft had restrained him. The account does not identify the suspect by name.
The damage reported by police was to the toilet door. The attempt to open the cockpit door prompted the pilot to turn back, while the passengers and flight attendant contained the man until the aircraft reached the airport.
No one aboard was reported injured. Several passengers remained in shock, Tessier said, as officers took the suspect for medical treatment.
Investigators will decide whether to send charges to prosecutors
The investigation was still active on Thursday, October 8. Nancy Fournier, a police media spokesperson, said investigators would assess whether to submit charges to the prosecutor for analysis.
No criminal charges had been announced by October 8, 2026. The next step described by police is the investigators’ assessment and any referral to the prosecutor; the man had been arrested, but the charging decision remained pending.
