A Ukrainian man is facing federal charges after he allegedly tried to open the door of a Delta Airlines flight from Boston to Utah.
Anatoliy Baranovich said he was returning from his home country after spending nearly two months there and was on his way to Oregon when he boarded the flight to Salt Lake City at Logan Airport Monday night, according to a complaint filed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
He said after the flight took off he fell asleep and woke up as it began to descend in Utah.
According to the FBI complaint, Baranovich thought the wing was on fire and tried to alert his fellow passengers, but was speaking in Russian.
He got up and went to the back of the plane and tried to open the door there, authorities said. He caused a malfunction and “extensive damage to the fuselage,” according to the complaint.
A flight attendant and other passengers had to restrain him.
During an interview with FBI agents, he told them he was drinking the entire time he was in the Ukraine and did not get sober.
He was charged with damaging and disabling an aircraft and interfering with a flight.
