Selma Blair arrested after in-flight incident

Selma Blair arrested after in-flight incident

The full report

US actress Selma Blair was arrested on Sunday and taken to hospital after an incident on a Delta Airlines flight bound for New York. According to the New York Port Authority, two flight attendants were hurt and one was taken to hospital. The incident occurred around 23:00 local time aboard Delta Airlines Flight 938. A spokesperson for Delta Air Lines said that law enforcement responded as the flight arrived at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York, and that there was no operational impact to the flight because of the incident. Delta has zero tolerance for unruly or unlawful behavior, as the safety of our customers and crew always comes first, the airline said in a statement to the BBC.

Selma Blair, 54, who also starred in Hellboy and Cruel Intentions, was arrested and taken to hospital. Her publicist told the BBC she had "experienced a medical emergency that led to the alleged conduct". "Upon landing, she received immediate medical attention and is currently in stable condition," her publicist said. On Monday, a federal law enforcement source told the BBC that Blair had been issued a summons for a charge of assault within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the US. The source said she will be required to appear at the petty violation court in Brooklyn, New York City, but no date has been set.

The incident occurred around 23:00 local time aboard Delta Airlines Flight 938. According to the BBC's US media partner, CBS News, the flight crew allegedly restrained Blair on the flight. Air traffic control audio obtained by CBS includes the pilot calling for medical personnel to come to the plane, citing a "bloody nose as well as some bite marks". A spokesperson for Delta Air Lines said that law enforcement responded as the flight arrived at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York, and that there was no operational impact to the flight because of the incident.

Blair largely retreated from film work amid her 2018 multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis , telling the BBC years later that she blamed the disease for taking "my career down" because "I had to stop working". In 2021, she announced she was in remission for the disease. The FBI, which is responsible for investigating all assaults on aircraft, declined to release details. "Yesterday, we were informed by our partners at Port Authority Police Department of a potential assault aboard a flight that arrived into JFK. As per long-standing DOJ [Department of Justice] policy, we do not comment on ongoing investigations," FBI New York spokesperson Sydney Kleinmann said.

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