A man had to be detained on a flight from Boston to San Juan, Puerto Rico, after allegedly assaulting a flight attendant and trying to storm the cockpit, the FBI have said.

The incident took place on Wednesday night, a short time before the plane was due to land in San Juan, when Khalil El Dahr became irate after a phone call he was attempting to make failed to go through due to lack of service.

A flight attendant told the FBI that El Dahr “became angry about the call’s unsuccess”, the Daily Mail reports.

He then started creating a scene, with the crew members eventually managing to calm the passenger down and get him into his seat, with the pilot opening the cockpit door to address the commotion.

That is when El Dahr rushed towards the flight deck and grabbed a flight attendant from the collar and tie, with the air steward at one point unable to breathe, NBC Boston reports.

He then kicked the flight attendant in the chest, according to Special Agent William Lopez’s affidavit.

During the struggle, El Dahr was allegedly shouting in Arabic and Spanish, daring sky marshals to shoot him.

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Seven crew members were eventually able to restrain him using flex cuffs, a tie and a belt, preventing him from entering the cockpit and held him in a seat at the back of the plane.

According to the FBI, the plane landed successfully in San Juan, where law enforcement took over the incident.

El Dahr now faces felony charges for interfering with flight crew members.

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