United Airlines
A man had to be restrained on United Airlines flight 1074 Getty

A United Airlines flight heading for Denver was forced to return to Washington DC after a passenger reportedly rushed towards the cockpit yelling "Jihad! Jihad!".

Video footage has emerged on YouTube of the man being restrained by fellow passengers after his outburst on Flight 1074 on 16 March, shortly after take-off. He is seen whimpering "I'm sorry" while being told not to move.

Passenger Donna Tellam revealed two men pinned him down. She said: "One held his feet and other one kind of laid on top of him and then the flight attendants went and got some plastic restraints for his arms.

"At one point when his head was down he said there were jihadists in the cargo hold and he did say jihad a couple of times."

Reddit users also claimed he said "Jihad, Jihad" via videos taken of the scuffle on the flight, before he dashed towards the cockpit, according to the New York Daily News.

The Boeing 737 carrying 33 passengers and six crew landed at Dulles International Airport shortly after take-off. A United spokesman said: "A passenger failed to comply with crew instructions."

Police were waiting to meet the man at the gate in Washington who was later detained and taken to hospital for an evaluation, the spokesman added. The flight departed again for Denver International Airport on 17 March.