EasyJet flight descends into chaos after mass 10-person brawl forces plane to turn back to Tenerife for emergency landing

An easyJet flight has descended into chaos after a mass 10-person brawl forced the plane to turn back to Tenerife for an emergency landing.

The aircraft heading from the Spanish island to Liverpool was forced to turn back on Tuesday evening after a fight broke out, air traffic control has confirmed.

The captain of flight EZY3352 took the decision to return to Spain approximately half an hour into the journey, citing the threat the altercation posed to flight safety.

Officers were waiting on the tarmac when the plane touched down at Tenerife South airport, having been requested by the crew ahead of landing.

A total of 186 passengers were on board the aircraft, which subsequently resumed its journey to Britain.

According to air traffic control, whose statement was originally issued in Spanish, the crew informed controllers roughly 30 minutes into the flight that they needed to return and asked for police to be present upon arrival.

Air traffic control said: "A group of about 10 passengers had started a fight on board, and the captain decided to return due to the danger it posed to the safety of the flight."

Controllers said they facilitated the return as swiftly as possible whilst arranging a police response at the airport.

The aircraft touched down and vacated runway 07 without further incident.

Air traffic control added: "Our full support goes out to the crews and passengers who are increasingly having to endure these situations."

EasyJet confirmed that the aircraft "returned to the airport and was met by police due to a group of passengers behaving disruptively," adding that the service then carried on to its destination.

A spokesman for the airline said: “Our cabin and ground crew are trained to assess all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time.

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“We take these incidents very seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behaviour towards our staff.

“The safety and wellbeing of customers and crew is always our highest priority.”

Last month it was announced that a new government proposal could see passengers who disrupt flights banned from travelling with any airline, rather than just the one involved in the incident.

Officials at the Department for Transport and the Home Office are understood to be developing a scheme that would allow carriers to share information on unruly passengers.

Currently in its conceptual phase, the plan would require airlines to notify the government about disruptive passengers.

Should such a person attempt to check in for a subsequent flight, participating airlines would be alerted.

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