Ryanair passenger is hauled off a plane by Portuguese police and ‘left injured’ after he was accused of punching an air hostess before take-off for Stansted
- Rafik Boutiche said he was accused of punching an air hostess, which he denies
- Footage taken by his friend shows Portuguese police dragging him of the flight
- They had been in the Algarve for a music festival and were returning to London
A Ryanair passenger claims he was injured by Portuguese police when he was hauled off a flight in Faro after a row with the cabin crew.
Rafik Boutiche said he was accused of punching an air hostess, which he denies, and dragged off the London-bound plane before take-off in front of fellow passengers.
The 20-year-old said the flight attendant had refused to let him move to a free seat and claimed he was left with an injured hand, neck and ankle.
His friend Islam Fessih filmed the scene in which Mr Boutiche is heard shouting ‘you’re hurting me’ while other passengers object.
On-board brawl: Rafik Boutiche (in the white shirt) is dragged off a Ryanair flight by Portuguese police after he was accused of punching a stewardess
Mr Boutiche and Mr Fessih had been in the Algarve for a music festival and were on their way back to London Stansted.
After being hauled off the flight Mr Boutiche returned to a hotel in Portugal and the pair rebooked their journey home with another airline.
Speaking to the Mirror from the hotel, he said: ‘My hand is cut up, it’s burning me at the moment. My ankle has been sprained and my neck is hurting me.
‘We’re just two young lads, we’re not looking for trouble, we just wanted to get back home.
‘I’ve never experienced anything like this, I never thought it was possible to go through what I’ve gone through. It’s made me very emotional.’
He had moved seats to sit next to his friend as the space appeared to be free but the air hostess objected, Mr Fessih claimed.
Struggle: Islam Fessih filmed the scene in which his friend Mr Boutiche is heard shouting ‘you’re hurting me’ while other passengers object
‘There was a free seat next to me but the air hostess refused to let him sit there and accused him of punching her when the whole plane has his side,’ he said.
Mr Fessih also shared a photo of his friend’s ripped bag, saying it had been damaged during the on-board row.
‘His bag is literally ripped and he is injured. This is so not called for,’ he said.
In the video, an angry Mr Boutiche tells police that ‘you’re hurting me’ and ‘you’re breaking my neck’ as an officer pulls him out of the seat.
A female passenger sitting nearby also objects to the officers’ actions, protesting: ‘You’re hurting him’.
Mr Boutiche claimed he was left with an injured hand, neck and ankle after the incident, during which his friend Mr Fessih urged him not to struggle
However, Mr Fessih urges his friend to let police take him away rather than making matters worse by struggling against the officers.
‘Don’t resist, you’ve got to let them take you off the plane, I beg you,’ Mr Fessih said.
The pair were subsequently taken to a Portuguese police station but were released without charge, Mr Fessih explained.
He said he had started filming ‘for his own protection’ because the two did not speak Portuguese.
Children had been crying on the plane as the row unfolded, he said, saying his friend had been ‘attacked’.
The flight apparently left Faro around 20 minutes late.
MailOnline has contacted Ryanair for comment.