A passenger aboard a flight from Toronto to Jamaica lied about being infected with the coronavirus, forcing a plane to turn around and head back to Toronto, according to CBC.
What happened?
The passenger stood up during the flight to announce he had recently been to China and had been diagnosed with the coronavirus.
- Const. Bancroft Wright told CBC the crew made the decision to flight back to Pearson International Airport in Toronto due to international disease protocols.
- The passenger took selfies on his flight. He told others he had the virus. The crew gave him a mask and gloves and sent him to the back of the plane.
- The flight crew discovered the man was lying.
- Passenger Julie-Anne Broderick told CBC: “I guess this guy thought it was a funny joke but it’s just really weird. We were all very frustrated, to just displace 240 people … it’s just so selfish. We’ve lost a day of our vacation.”
What happened next?
- The passenger was arrested once they arrived back in Toronto, according to CTV News.
- The passengers were bumped to a flight on Tuesday.
The bigger picture
The coronavirus has impacted more than 360 people in mainland China. Worldwide, there have been more than 17,000 cases of the coronavirus.