The saga of two Puerto Rican men who had a dust-up on a plane could take a dramatic twist when they arrive in New York this morning.

Charges in Magistrates' Court were withdrawn yesterday because they are likely to face Federal charges in New York for disrupting a flight.

And they could have faced a mandatory life sentence here if the Crown had thrown the book at them.

Prosecutor Peter Eccles said the Attorney General's chambers had been in discussions with American authorities about Jesus Melendez, 18, and Hector Maldonado, 33, both of Worcester, Massachussetts.

Mr. Eccles told Senior Magistrate Will Francis the men could have been imprisoned for life under a United Kingdom law.

Mr. Eccles said: "To be drunk and fighting they could have been charged with the Protection of Aircraft Act's overseas order. That's an indictable matter with a mandatory life sentence.'' He added: "The Crown is mindful there are over a hundred overseas witnesses, these are American defendants on an American flight, travelling between American ports.

"In light of that, the Crown withdraws these charges and the men are required to leave this jurisdiction,,'' Mr. Eccles said.

Mr. Melendez and Mr. Maldonado -- still wearing blood-stained clothes -- are expected to arrive in New York this morning.

They are not being deported, but airline security have flown in to escort them back.

The pair were arrested early on Tuesday at Bermuda International Airport upon the landing of American Airlines flight number 1290 from San Juan, Puerto Rico.