An American Airlines flight was forced to return to its departure airport after a passenger allegedly had a violent outburst, claiming to be battling demons. Delange Augustin, 31, boarded American Eagle Flight 4162 from Savannah, Georgia, to Miami, Florida, earlier this week with his sister, Medjina. The flight initially took off without incident, but things quickly took a bizarre turn once airborne.
Unusual Behavior Leads to Violent Outburst
According to FBI reports, shortly after takeoff, flight attendants noticed Augustin displaying erratic behavior. He was reportedly stomping, shouting incoherently, and appeared to be in what was described as a “fit of epilepsy.” When crew members attempted to intervene, Augustin allegedly kicked a flight attendant in the chest, sending her across a row of seats and slamming into a window.
As the situation escalated, Delange continued his violent actions, kicking and punching the seat and a nearby passenger. The plane, which had only just taken off, was forced to return to Savannah’s airport.
Passenger Struggles and Alleged Spiritual Beliefs
During the return to the airport, the disturbance intensified. Crew members described a chaotic scene as Augustin, who was holding his sister tightly, rushed at one of the flight attendants and began throwing “haymakers” before other passengers intervened and restrained him.
Upon landing, Augustin was taken to the hospital for evaluation. Medical personnel discovered that he had swallowed a set of rosary beads during the incident. After being discharged, he was arrested for interfering with flight crew members and booked into Chatham County Jail.
The Augustins’ Spiritual Claims
Medjina Augustin, Delange’s sister, later spoke with officials and explained that they were traveling to Haiti to “flee religious attacks of a spiritual nature.” According to Medjina, she could “feel the spiritual fight, but could not see it.” She stated that her brother believed “Satan’s disciple(s) had followed them onto the plane,” and that they were being targeted by a “legion” that didn’t want them to make it to Haiti.
Medjina further explained that the rosary beads were a source of spiritual strength for her brother, which led him to swallow them during his perceived battle against evil forces.
American Airlines Responds
American Airlines, the carrier of the flight, issued a statement acknowledging the incident. “On March 10, American Eagle flight 4162, operated by Envoy, with service from Savannah (SAV) to Miami (MIA) returned to SAV due to a disruptive passenger. Safety and security are our top priorities. We appreciate the professionalism of the entire crew and thank our passengers for their understanding.”
