Video screen grab. Via Twitter
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. But the famous saying doesn’t apply if you’re crazy enough to climb onto the wing of a jetliner as it’s preparing to take off. Then, what happens in Vegas becomes headline news around the world.
The passengers and crew of an Alaskan Airlines flight were more than a little surprised at the weekend when, as they made ready to fly out of Las Vegas bound or the city of Portland in Oregon, they saw a man clambering around the wing of their Boeing 737.
Apart from appearing to enjoy himself on the flat part of the wing, he also attempted to get onto the upturned winglet on the end of the wing.
Emergency services at McCarran Airport were summoned to the scene and then the Vegas police officers – who are probably used to seeing a few weird-and-wonderful goings-on in their city – scratched their heads as they tried to figure out how to get to the intruder.
Meanwhile, passengers were bemused by this new form of pre-flight entertainment and then watched as the cops boarded the aircraft and climbed onto the wing using the emergency exit.
The happy wing-walker than attempted to evade them, but slipped off the wing and fell to the tarmac below, where he was arrested.
Despite falling from a considerable height, he sustained no major injuries, with passenger Brooke Knight posting on social media: “This fella is fine, which is great. A bloody nose … all personnel on the plane and on the tarmac were simply amazing. So nice to see.”
The plane had to return to the departure gate for a full inspection after the incident, before being allowed to continue on its way.
As for the wing walker … well, he stayed in Vegas.
According to police, he climbed an airport boundary fence to gain entry to the airfield. They also confirmed that he is suspected to be suffering from a mental illness.
Social media, of course, was quick to comment. “Perhaps he’s just social distancing?” suggested one user. “He’s a left-winger,” observed another.
“He needed to live out his Tom Cruise Mission Impossible plane stunt dream… I get it brother… I get it,” commented a third.