A 35-year-old father of three died after being restrained by passengers and cabin crew during a disturbance aboard a Jet2 flight traveling from Cyprus to the United Kingdom, prompting an ongoing investigation by Greater Manchester Police and an independent police watchdog, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
The incident occurred aboard a Jet2 flight that departed Larnaca, Cyprus, and landed at Manchester Airport on Monday morning.
Police said they were called to the aircraft after receiving reports that a passenger had assaulted another traveler and a member of the airline’s cabin crew during the flight.
A father and bare-knuckle boxer has died after becoming critically ill following an incident on board a Jet2 flight from Cyprus to Manchester Airport.
Callum Kerr, from Warrington, was travelling home from Larnaca with his girlfriend on 21 June when police say they were called… pic.twitter.com/bd53DRQinf [2]
— BPI News (@BPINewsOrg) June 25, 2026 [3]
According to Greater Manchester Police, the passenger, identified as Callum Kerr, was allegedly “acting aggressively” toward both airline staff and other passengers before the aircraft landed.
When officers boarded the plane after it arrived in Manchester, they found Kerr restrained by passengers and members of the cabin crew at the rear of the aircraft. Police said he was unresponsive when officers placed him in handcuffs.
Emergency medical personnel transported Kerr to a hospital, where he died the following day.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and the events that unfolded during the flight.
Witnesses who spoke to the Warrington Guardian said Kerr had been arguing with his girlfriend during the trip before flight attendants moved her to a different seat.
The witnesses also claimed that Kerr, who competed as a bare-knuckle fighter, headbutted another passenger before fellow travelers intervened and helped restrain him.
Those witness accounts have not been independently confirmed by investigators.
Greater Manchester Police said detectives are working to establish a complete timeline of events aboard the aircraft.
Because officers had contact with Kerr before his death, the force also made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which routinely reviews incidents involving deaths following police contact.
Police emphasized that the referral is required under established procedures whenever officers interact with an individual before a death occurs.
Chief Superintendent Mike Allen said investigators are continuing to gather evidence from those who were on board the aircraft.
“An investigation is now under way to establish what happened during the flight, and our specialist officers have been keeping them updated with all the information we know so far,” Allen said.
The chief superintendent acknowledged that many passengers witnessed the disturbance before officers boarded the aircraft.
“I know there were many people on the flight who witnessed the violence and disruption prior to officers’ arrival,” Allen added.
He also noted that investigators are examining the actions taken by passengers and airline personnel who intervened during the incident.
“We know passengers and aircrew worked to detain the man to bring the incident to an end. Our detectives are investigating this to understand the full circumstances.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said the officers who boarded the aircraft are currently being treated as witnesses rather than subjects of its investigation.
Kerr’s family released a statement following his death, remembering him as a devoted father.
It has been confirmed that father of 3 Callum Kerr has died, Greater Manchester Police said Mr Kerr assaulted another passenger and a member of cabin crew before being restrained at the rear of the plane.
It later emerged Mr Kerr was handcuffed by one of the officers moments… https://t.co/zZZQrUxOUf [4] pic.twitter.com/XMA3HzwZww [5]
— Grifty (@TheGriftReport) June 25, 2026 [6]
“Callum was a family man, father to three beautiful young children, a lover of sport, and with a heart of gold,” the family said.
The investigation remains active as detectives continue interviewing witnesses, reviewing available evidence, and determining the sequence of events that led to Kerr’s death following the midair disturbance.
Neither Greater Manchester Police nor the Independent Office for Police Conduct has announced any findings regarding the cause of Kerr’s death, and authorities have indicated that the investigation is ongoing.