In a shocking incident at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, a passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight opened an emergency exit door and climbed onto the plane's wing on Sunday. The man, who has been identified as a 38-year-old, was described as being "incoherent and not fully aware of his surroundings" by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. The plane, which was stationary at the gate, had not yet departed at the time of the incident.

Passenger Zed Webster, who was seated across the aisle from the commotion, captured the terrifying moment on his phone. He said he had noticed an argument between two passengers and had taken out his phone to record the incident. As soon as he started recording, the passenger unlatched the lock of the emergency exit door and jumped out onto the wing. Webster expressed his fear and shock, recounting the chaos that ensued as several passengers evacuated the plane through the jetway. The video also showed an airline employee jumping onto the tarmac from the jetway to assist in subduing the passenger.

Upon making contact with the man on the tarmac, authorities found him to be disoriented, leading them to believe that he was suffering from a mental health emergency. As a result, he was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office confirmed that there were no indications that the man left anything on the plane or possessed any weapons.

Chris Perry, a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines, commended the flight and ground crews for their swift action and apologized to the passengers for the inconvenience caused. Following a two-hour delay, the flight eventually departed using a different aircraft and arrived in Atlanta shortly before midnight.

Although the reason for the man's actions remains unclear, officials have stated that there are no criminal charges in connection with the incident. The investigation has been referred to federal authorities. The airport confirmed the incident, referring to it as a "Southwest Airlines passenger's unauthorized deplaning" and deferred further comments to the sheriff's office.

The incident has left many passengers shaken and raises concerns about safety and security measures. Southwest Airlines, like other airlines, will likely review their protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.