POLICE are assisting with an independent investigation into the death of a Warrington man who fell ill following an incident onboard a Jet aircraft in Manchester Airport following reports of aggressive behaviour towards other passengers.
At around 2.25 am on Monday, 22 June 2026, officers were called to reports of a man behaving aggressively towards passengers and crew on an inbound flight travelling from Larnaca, Cyprus, to Manchester, during which another passenger and a member of cabin crew were assaulted by the man.
Officers boarded the aircraft on its arrival and located the man, who was being restrained by passengers and aircrew at the rear of the plane. Officers used handcuffs to detain him and quickly identified he was unresponsive, through the provision of first aid, and began with CPR.
The man was taken by paramedics to hospital, where he sadly died on the afternoon of 23 June 2026.
He has now been formally identified as 35-year-old Callum Kerr. His loved ones have paid tribute to him, saying: “Callum was a family man, father to three beautiful young children, a lover of sport and with a heart of gold!”
Police have made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to police coming into contact with the man prior to his death, not due to any indication of misconduct by the officers involved.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “While the IOPC is investigating the actions of our officers, detectives from our Major Incident Team are investigating the circumstances on the flight prior to police arrival.”
Chief Superintendent Mike Allen said: “Firstly, my thoughts are with Callum’s family and all those impacted by this incident. An investigation is now underway to establish what happened during the flight and our specialist officers have been keeping them updated with all the information we know so far.
“I know there were many people on the flight who witnessed the violence and disruption prior to officers’ arrival. We know passengers and aircrew worked to detain the man to bring the incident to an end. Our detectives are investigating this to understand the full circumstances.
“It is mandatory for a referral to be made to the IOPC. We will fully assist with their investigation into the actions of the police, where our officers have been independently declared as witnesses rather than being investigated for their conduct. Policing is a challenging profession, and we are supporting them through this process.
“Support continues to be provided to the man’s family and loved ones during this time.”
