17-year-old teen jumps out of plane from emergency door at San Francisco airport

San Francisco: Authorities say a teenage boy travelling alone opened an emergency door after his plane landed, slid down the wing and jumped onto a tarmac at San Francisco before shocked passengers could do anything to stop him.

Some passengers flying on Copa Airlines Flight 208 from Panama City, Panama, say that by the time they realized the door had been removed, the boy was already on the ground, running.

San Francisco Airport spokesman Doug Yakel says the 17-year-old removed the door as the plane was heading to a gate on Tuesday.

Yakel says an airfield construction crew held him until police arrived. He says the teenager is a US citizen and appeared to be in emotional distress during the flight.

He says no runways or flights were affected and that the unidentified boy wasn't injured.