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MMA Fighter Sinead Kavanagh Arrested After Attacking 2 Police Officers on Plane: Report
Irish MMA fighter Sinead Kavanagh was arrested after she allegedly assaulted two Spanish police officers on a flight while traveling from Gran Canaria to Dublin, according to multiple reports.
The flight crew reported alleged “violent behavior” from Kavanagh, 39, before the flight took off around 7:30 p.m. on Monday, November 24, according to Spanish outlets Atlántico Hoy and Canarias 7 reported.
The Civil Guard then reported to the scene, where Kavanagh allegedly “repeatedly struck” two officers as she resisted arrest on the plane. Kavanagh was eventually arrested and detained at the airport’s holding cell.
Atlántico Hoy shared footage of the incident recorded by another passenger, which showed Kavanagh trying to fight off two officers as they attempted to hold her in the aisle of the plane.
“Don’t do this! Please!” one woman was heard shouting in the video.
Following the incident, a Civil Guard spokesperson told The Sun that police reported to the scene after they were called to remove two female passengers from the plane.
“The pilot requested police presence because of two passengers who were causing problems on board a plane that was about to take off,” the spokesperson said. “Officers were going to identify them and take them off the plane because the pilot had decided they weren’t going to fly.”
After she was arrested, Kavanagh appeared in court in Telde, Spain, on Tuesday, November 25 and was released on bail. Canarias 7 reported that Kavanagh is currently under investigation for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.
Canarias 7 added that one of the officers that Kavanaugh allegedly attacked has been placed on medical leave.
Kavanaugh has not yet publicly issued a statement about the scandal.
Additionally, it is not currently known whether the other woman involved in the incident will also be arrested or placed under a travel ban.
Kavanagh is a well known MMA fighter and has won five MMA championship titles throughout her career. She got her start by competing as an amateur boxer in Ireland before she transitioned to mixed martial arts.
In addition to her fighting career, Kavanagh is also known for her friendship with UFC champion Conor McGregor.
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