‘MAS passenger in scuffle not drunk’

SHAH ALAM: The German passenger who caused a scuffle onboard flight MH179 to Colombo on Saturday was not drunk but had asked for whisky, according to police.

Sepang acting OCPD Supt Abdul Aziz Ali said the 54-year-old, who was currently being remanded at the Sepang police headquarters before being charged with endangering the aircraft and passengers, had asked a stewardess to serve him some whisky.

“What actually happened was that the flight had just taken off. He was seated in business class and asked a stewardess to serve him whisky.

“But as the seatbelt sign was still turned on, the crew had to refuse him. That was when he got mad and got into a scuffle with the stewardess,” he said.

Supt Aziz said the man was not drunk as his blood and urine tests proved negative.

The German, a businessman, was travelling alone. The aircraft had departed KL International Airport at 11.27pm on Saturday.

Supt Aziz said police have forwarded the investigation papers to the DPP for the man to be charged.

It was reported that crew members and passengers had to subdue the man, prompting the pilot to turn back to KLIA minutes later.

The aircraft circled around the Malacca Straits for several hours to dump fuel as a safety precaution before landing.

The flight departed again for Colombo at 10.06am on Sunday.

Selangor deputy police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Abdul Rahim Jaafar said police were investigating the man under Section 70(1) Malaysia Civil Aviation Regulations 1996 for “imperilling the safety of an aircraft or any person on board”.