Passenger Tries to Open Exit Door on Alaska Airlines Flight

A passenger tried to open a door on an Alaska Airlines flight, which led to him being arrested.

Alexander Michael Herrera, 23, was on Alaska Airlines Flight No. 132 from anchorage to Portland when he started making strange statements and tried to open to emergency door. It is not clear what he was saying before the incident.

Passenger Ryan Oelrich spoke to ABC News about the incident. He said he was sleeping onboard the flight when he heard "loud hissing noise" and "lots of screaming."

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

Passengers quickly took action. Oelrich recalled passengers sitting near Herrera in Row 17 jumped on top of him and held him down until flight attendants restrained him. Oelrich said he was thankful that the passengers stepped in.

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

According to Alaska Airlines, the emergency door on the 737-800 contains a special lock that prevents passengers from opening it while the plane is in flight.

The airline said that the crew acted quickly and did a good job of keeping Herrera restrained. He sat calmly until the plane landed. He was handed over to federal authorities when the plane landed at Portland International Airport. He was arrested by the FBI on charges of interfering with a flight crew.

Herrera was led off the plane and the passengers that held him down got off the plane after. Herrera was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center. He is due for his first deferral court appearance on Tuesday.

There were 137 passengers on the flight. No one was injured.