Man Jokes He Has Coronavirus On Plane, Forces Emergency Landing Then Gets Arrested

KEY POINTS

Toronto police arrested a Canadian man who lied saying he had the coronavirus while on a plane
The man said he did it hoping to make a video that would go viral on social media
He's set to appear in court to answer charges of mischief and breach of recognizance

Angry passengers aboard a WestJet flight bound to Montego Bay, Jamaica from Toronto harshly condemned a man who forced the plane to turn back after falsely announcing he had the Wuhan coronavirus.

The stunt got James Potok from Ontario arrested and criminally charged with mischief and breach of recognizance after he was taken off the plane. The unlucky plane carried 243 passengers and returned to Pearson International Airport in Toronto.

WestJet said the flight crew had followed infectious-disease protocols "out of an abundance of caution," CBC reported. It said the flight returned because of an "unruly guest."

WestJet Flight 2702 was some two hours into the flight when Potok stood-up and told his fellow passengers he'd been to "the capital of the coronavirus" and was "not feeling too well." The cabin crew then had him put on a facemask and wear gloves.

"Can I have everybody's attention. I just came back from Hunan province, the capital of the coronavirus…I'm not feeling too well. Thank you," Potok told CBC, recounting the incident.

Potok said he pulled the stunt hoping to make a video that would go viral on social media.

"I'm an artist," he said. "Any publicity for myself is good publicity."

He said he had his camera with him and "was looking to get a viral video. I was looking to get it up on all the social-media platforms."

His fellow passengers were not amused. Social-media footage shared by Canadian media showed angry passengers insulting Potok as he was taken off the plane.

Julie-Anne Broderick, a passsenger, wrote on Facebook her flight returned "because SOME IDIOT pretended he had the Coronavirus to post on YouTube."

Potok is scheduled to appear in court in Brampton, a city in Ontario, on March 9

"They've charged me criminally, and I have court to go to," said Potok to Global News.

Potok has apologized to his fellow passengers. He now believes "what I did was wrong" and that he "ruined the flight" for the people on board.