Irish mixed martial arts fighter Sinead Kavanagh was arrested after allegedly attacking two Spanish police officers responding to a disturbance on a Ryanair plane set to travel from Gran Canaria to Dublin, according to reports.
The incident unfolded Monday around 7 p.m., just minutes before the flight was scheduled to take off from the Canary Island off the coast of northwest Africa, according to Spanish outlets Atlántico Hoy and Canarias 7. The flight crew alleged Kavanagh was exhibiting “violent behavior,” prompting a response from two civil guard officers. The featherweight fighter — also a friend of fellow MMA fighter and former UFC champion Conor McGregor — allegedly “repeatedly struck” two officers while resisting arrest on the aircraft, the local outlets reported.
Video of the incident has since started to circulate online. In one clip obtained by by Atlántico Hoy, Kavanagh can seemingly be seen tussling with the officers as they attempt to pull her to one side of the aisle. At least one officer involved was placed on leave due to injuries sustained during the incident, but the officer’s exact condition was not clear.
The MMA fighter was eventually arrested and detained overnight at the airport’s holding cell. On Tuesday, she made her initial court appearance in Telde, on Gran Canaria, and was released on bail, People reported.
The incident remains under investigation.
Kavanagh, a Dublin native who got her start as an amateur boxer, has won five championship titles since switching over to MMA.