British Airways averted an air mishap after a pilot of one of its aircraft was forcefully removed from the cockpit by police.

According to Fox News, police rushed on the plane and headed straight for the cockpit and forcefully led the first officer away.

Passengers were shocked as their pilot was removed from the cockpit amid fears he was drunk.

Airline workers reportedly alerted police before the 11-hour flight from Gatwick to Mauritius on Thursday after smelling booze.

Police say that a 49-year-old man from west London was arrested on “suspicion of performing an aviation function when the level of alcohol was over the proscribed limit.”

The flight departed several hours late after another crew member joined the flight.

The airline apologized for the delay and said in a statement Saturday that it was “taking this matter extremely seriously and are assisting the police with their inquiries.”