Houston bound flight diverted to Boston due to unruly passenger

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A British Airways flight from London to Houston has arrived in Houston hours after it was diverted to Boston due to unruly male passenger aboard, Massachusetts State Police confirm.

ABC affiliate WCVB-TV reports British Airways flight 195 landed just after 11:00am Houston time at Logan International Airport.

WHDH-TV reports the passenger was an intoxicated male who began assaulting his wife on the plane. The report says four other passengers intervened and held the unruly passenger down until the flight safely landed. The man was then escorted off the plane by state police.

Passenger Shelby Roberts described what she witnessed on board.

"I saw a crying woman and then when we stopped in Boston, there were police men who came on board," Roberts said.

Another passenger John Lash came very close to the man who was arrested on board.

"I came out of the bathroom and he was talking to the airline guys -- really big guy. He had taken his shirt off," he said. ":They were having big problems and the guy said I don't understand. And then he looked at me and said, 'Who are you?'"

The airline issued the following statement to WCVB:

The man involved in this incident is Darren Halliwell, a 48-year-old British citizen. He was charged with interfering with a flight crew, and more charges could be filed. We learned his wife did not stay with him in Boston; she continued onto Houston and arrived Wednesday afternoon.

Halliwell is expected to be arraigned on Thursday.