The Latest: Man on pepper spray flight describes ordeal

HONOLULU – The Latest on a can of pepper spray going off inside a Hawaiian Airlines flight. (all times local):

6 p.m.

A man says he was trying to nap on board a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Oakland, California, to Maui, but was woken up by someone having a coughing fit.

Nicholas Andrade says he then noticed everyone around him was coughing and flight attendants and passengers were covering their faces.

He says flight attendants told the passengers to retreat to the back of the plane where the air wasn't affected. He later learned a can of pepper spray had gone off on the plane.

He says about 40 people stood in the back of the plane for about 30 minutes.

Hawaiian Airlines spokesman Alex Da Silva says 12 passengers and three flight attendants were treated for respiratory issues and released after the plane landed in Kahului Friday.

Police are investigating.

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2:30 p.m.

Hawaiian Airlines says a can of pepper spray went off inside a plane headed from Oakland, California, to Maui, requiring emergency help for several people aboard.

Airline spokesman Alex Da Silva says 12 passengers and three flight attendants were treated for respiratory issues and released Friday.

He says in a statement that a passenger illegally brought the pepper spray on the plane carrying 256 passengers and 10 crew members but that it appears the release was accidental.

Hawaii Department of Transportation spokesman Tim Sakahara says about 30 people complained of being affected by the irritant, but no one was taken to the hospital.

The airline says the flight was delayed earlier Friday after a teenager in Oakland sent a photo depicting a fake crime scene to cellphones of other passengers.