Coronavirus hoax that turned back flight was ‘good for publicity,’ aspiring artist says
An aspiring artist from Canada says he thought standing up on a Jamaica-bound airliner to say he might have coronavirus would be “good for publicity,” Toronto CityNews reports.
Instead, the flight turned back to Toronto after two hours in the air and police at the airport arrested James Potok, 28, of Ontario on suspicion of mischief, Global News reported.
“I am extremely sorry,” Potok said, CBC News reported. “I am completely remorseful to everybody that I damaged their plans. ... This was probably something in retrospect I should not have said.”
The WestJet flight carrying 243 people returned to Pearson International Airport in Toronto just after 2 p.m. Eastern on Monday, McClatchy News previously reported. The flight had departed at 10 a.m. for Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Passengers were rebooked onto a flight departing Tuesday morning, McClatchy News reported. WestJet apologized but said the crew followed infectious disease protocols.
Potok says he never claimed to have coronavirus in his mid-flight announcement, which he recorded in hopes of creating a viral video, Toronto CityNews reported.
“I said: ‘I just returned from a flight from Hunan province.’ I might have said: ‘This is the capital for coronavirus.’ And then I said: ‘I don’t feel too well,’ ” Potok said, CBC News reported.
The coronavirus outbreak began in the city of Wuhan, which is in Hubei province.
“I saw the reception of the people,” Potok said, CBC News reported. “They didn’t seem too happy about it. I don’t blame them. And I stopped recording and I sat back down in my chair.”
The airline crew outfitted Potok with a breathing mask and gloves and isolated him at the back of the plane for the return to Toronto, where he was arrested, McClatchy News reported.
Potok, who describes himself as an up-and-coming hip hop and R&B performer, says he just wanted a viral video to post to his Instagram page, CBC News reported.
“Any publicity for myself is good publicity,” Potok said, Global News reported. But he also said he’s sorry that he “ruined the flight” and disrupted people’s vacation plans.
“I’m very, very sorry for my ignorance and not understanding that it’s an epidemic … that people hear the word and … it’s become synonymous with threats,” Potok said, Toronto CityNews reported. “In retrospect it probably wasn’t the best thing to do.”
The coronavirus outbreak, which can lead to pneumonia, has killed 500 people and infected more than 24,000, with 11 confirmed cases in the United States, USA Today reports. The World Health Organization has declared it a global emergency.