Passenger Tries To Open Emergency Exit Door Mid-Flight: Big Guys Tie Him Down With Shoelaces And Seatbelts [VIDEO]

A passenger tried to open the emergency exit door mid-flight after shouting "unusual" statements, causing fellow passengers to tie the man down with shoelaces and seatbelts. 

On Monday, while on a flight headed to Portland, Oregon, a male passenger attempted to open an airplane exit door while the plane was still flying. The man has been identified as Alexander Michael Herrera, 23.

Other passengers who noticed the man's strange actions restrained Herrera with shoelaces and seat-belt extensions.

The passenger was arrested by FBI agents when the flight landed at Portland International Airport. He was charged with interfering with flight crew and then booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center.

The flight took off from Anchorage, Alaska, and carried 137 passengers as well as crew members. One fellow passenger, Ryan Oelrich recounted the incident, saying that he woke up during flight when he heard people screaming and a "loud hissing noise" that was coming from a half-opened exit door.

Oelrich at first thought that the plane was going down, but later realized that it was an unusual incident when he heard more screaming.

Oelrich said, "My first thought was then the plane must be going down, but then I heard someone screaming to stop him, take him down. I looked behind me and in the exit row was a very large gentleman who was attempting to open the exit row door."

The "big guys" who were later able to subdue Herrera used three packs of shoelaces that were brought onto the plane by flight attendants. They bound Herrera's legs and made the passenger sit calmly while the big men surrounded him.

Oelrich said that he was thankful for his fellow passengers as well as crew members who did an excellent job of stepping in.

He said, "The entire plane, to the best of our ability, gave them a standing ovation for what they did, I'm so very thankful there are people out there who are willing to step up and do their part."

See below for a video news report of the incident.