Man detained after allegedly raping fellow passenger on trans-Atlantic night flight from Newark

A 40-year-old man was detained after another passenger reported he raped her on a trans-Atlantic journey from Newark to London.

The British guy is accused of forcing himself on the unidentified woman—a fellow traveller he had never seen before—while other passengers slept on the late-night United trip last week.

A spokesman for London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed that detectives were on hand to arrest the man when the plane touched down at Heathrow early Monday morning. He has been released pending the outcome of the investigation.

The horrifying occurrence was first reported by The Sun, which stated that the two passengers were sat on separate seats in business class. The woman is believed to have been “very distressed” when she alerted the flight crew about the alleged attack, allowing them to contact police in London. The suspect was apprehended and escorted to Heathrow Police Station for questioning.

“The woman said she was raped by the passenger during the flight while others were asleep,” an unnamed police source told the tabloid. She was upset and reported it to cabin crew, who radioed ahead to police, who were waiting as the plane approached the runway.