An angry helicopter pilot reprimanded a tourist who grabbed a lever in the cockpit - a move that would have sent the chopper plunging into the Grand Canyon.

Video shows the pilot holding the passenger’s wrist after she grabbed the helicopter’s rotor brake - which is designed for use on the ground - and stops the propeller from moving.

“No, that will kill us,” the pilot told the tourist.

Cherlin Bijlsma, 27, from the Netherlands, who witnessed the incident, said: “When the pilot scolded her... I saw that she smiled at the pilot.

“It was an awkward smile. I’m not sure if she said anything back.”