Callum Kerr, 35, Dies After Manchester Airport Detention Following Jet2 Flight Disruption

Q: How did a bare-knuckle fighter die after being restrained by passengers on a flight?

The exact cause of Callum Kerr’s death has not yet been established. What is known is that the 35-year-old died after becoming aggressive on Jet2 flight LS966 from Larnaca to Manchester, being restrained by passengers and crew, and then being found unresponsive when police boarded after landing. According to Greater Manchester Police and witness accounts, Kerr had allegedly been drinking heavily, argued with a woman on board, and then assaulted another passenger and a cabin crew member. Several passengers and aircrew restrained him at the rear of the aircraft until the plane landed. When officers boarded, they handcuffed him but quickly realized he was not breathing. Police began CPR and called for a defibrillator before he was taken to hospital, where he died the next day. At this stage, there is no official finding that the restraint itself caused his death. Investigators are examining the full sequence of events, including his behavior before landing, the restraint by passengers and crew, and the police contact after arrival. GMP has also opened a separate inquiry into the actions of members of the public involved in restraining him. Because Kerr died after police contact, the case has been automatically referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Police officers involved are currently being treated as witnesses, not suspects. Until post-mortem and investigative findings are released, any claim about precisely how he died would be speculative.

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jun 25

Greater Manchester Police said Kerr became unresponsive after officers handcuffed him on a Jet2 flight’s arrival at Manchester Airport early Monday; he died in hospital on Tuesday.
Police were called shortly before 02:30 BST to reports that the Warrington man had assaulted a passenger and a crew member on the Larnaca-to-Manchester flight and was acting aggressively.
Passengers and aircrew had already restrained Kerr at the rear of the plane before officers boarded, then police began first aid and CPR when they found him unresponsive.
An investigation is under way into both the in-flight violence and Kerr’s death, with GMP making a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Police said officers are currently being treated as witnesses rather than under investigation, while Kerr’s family described the father of three as a family man with a heart of gold.