A Southwest Airlines passenger was taken to a hospital for evaluation after opening the plane’s emergency exit hatch and exiting onto the wing Sunday, officials said.
According to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, where the plane was still in the Skyway and not moving.
It is unclear what prompted the passenger to open the emergency exit.
“He was captured on the tarmac and transported to a local hospital for evaluation,” the sheriff’s office said. Authorities have not disclosed the details of the hospitalization.
NBC News has contacted the sheriff’s office for more information.
The sheriff’s office said no criminal charges have been filed in connection with the incident and the investigation has been turned over to federal authorities.
After some delays, the flight ultimately departed for Atlanta before heading to its final destination in Baltimore, Southwest Airlines said.
“We commend the flight and ground crew for their quick actions and apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers,” the airline said in a statement.
The airport confirmed there was an incident involving “unauthorized disembarkation of a Southwest Airlines passenger,” but deferred further comment to the sheriff’s office.