This is the moment a man was tased by police on board an EasyJet flight waiting to take off at Gatwick on Thursday morning.
Man tasered on board Belfast-bound flight was 'insisting on wearing his man purse' http://t.co/RlutSdkuHz #ninews
Sussex police arrested the 37-year-old man from Belfast, who hasn't been named, on suspicion of breaching the peace and obstructing an officer.
Police said in a statement: "A taser was used to effect the arrest in the interests of the safety of the passengers, crew and the man himself."
However, following medical examination the man was deemed "mentally unfit to be interviewed or to be further detained in police custody". He was instead taken to a psychiatric unit and detained under section 2 of the Mental Health Act "in the interest of his own health, safety and protection of others".
Witnesses on the Gatwick-to-Belfast flight tweeted that the altercation, which started around 8am, happened because the man had two pieces of hand luggage, rather than the permitted one item.
Man getting arrested on @easyJet flight home to #Belfast because he wants 2 pieces of hand luggage! I'll never mess with easyjet now!
Back in the departure lounge after a man was tasered on my flight in a baggage dispute! #gatwick #easyjet
Police conducted a search of the whole plane and made passengers wait in the terminal.
Not even left Gatwick yet and it's all kicking off. A man just been tazered and dragged off the flight. Police now on board sweeping
Police checking everything now on the plane. Now being kicked off
The airline said in a statement:
easyJet can confirm that police boarded flight EZY831 from London Gatwick to Belfast on August 20 due to a passenger behaving disruptively.
EasyJet's cabin crew are highly trained to assess and evaluate all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers is not compromised at any time.
Whilst such incidents are rare we take them very seriously, do not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour on board and always push for prosecution.