Terrified passengers were forced off a Dublin Airport-bound flight after an intruder managed to make his way onto the plane without a passport or boarding pass.
The Vueling flight VY 8720 from Barcelona to Dublin was due to take off 12.40pm local time today but was delayed after security allegedly got a tip-off that someone had boarded the plane illegally.
Passengers onboard the jet, Mark Megarry and Paul Stewart, told Dublin Live how the male passenger locked himself in the toilet when confronted by an air hostess.
They said: "Apparently police and security got word that someone had boarded the plane that shouldn't have.
"An air hostess began asking everyone on the plane for their boarding passes and passports.
"The man was sitting in front of us and after the air hostess had checked ours, he jumped up out of his seat and ran.
"He pushed his way past the air hostess. A passenger near the back jumped out of their seat and tried to stop him also but he pushed them out of the way too and locked himself in the bathroom.
"Passengers began to panic then as they thought there was a bomb threat or something."
Mark and Paul said the plane had to be evacuated.
All of the passengers had to wait at Barcelona Airport as security tried to get the man out of the toilet.
They added: "We have to all re-check back in now again at the airport.
"Police came on the plane and stood at the door of the toilet as they tried to persuade the man to come out."
People have since re-boarded the plane.
