NEW DELHI: A man was arrested after allegedly attempting to open the emergency exit of a Kuala Lumpur-Kochi flight mid-air, causing panic among passengers, police said on Thursday (Aug 6).
The accused, identified as Jamsheer Athanikkal, 36, a native of Palakkad, currently residing in Sreemoolanagaram, was travelling on Batik Air flight OD231, a Boeing 737, from Kuala Lumpur to Kochi on Wednesday night when the incident occurred, according to the FIR.
The FIR said the incident took place between 9.30pm and 11.05pm while the aircraft was in flight.
It alleged that Jamsheer damaged the emergency exit's inner window panel using his foot and tried to force the door open, while also threatening fellow passengers and cabin crew.
A potentially serious incident was averted after fellow passengers and cabin crew intervened and restrained him in time.
Jamsheer was taken into custody by Kerala Police on the flight's arrival early on Thursday.
The case was registered on a complaint filed by Batik Air's Security In-Charge at Kochi, and police said a detailed investigation is underway.
He has been booked under Section 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal intimidation, Section 11A of the Aircraft Act for violating safety or security directions, and Section 118(e) of the Kerala Police Act for acts endangering public safety, police said.
A fellow passenger, identified as Matty Mathew, described the incident in a social media post accompanied by a video.
According to the post, most passengers were asleep on the midnight flight when they were woken by the sound of air rushing through the cabin, after a passenger seated in the emergency row broke the window and interfered with the door.
The door stayed shut because of the aircraft's design and cabin pressure, the post said, and passengers and Batik Air crew stepped in to restrain the man before the situation could escalate.
"It was an extremely frightening experience, but thankfully, all of us are safe," Mathew wrote.
The arrest comes just two days after another mid-air scare involving an Indian carrier. Air India flight AI2379, operating from Phuket, Thailand, to Delhi, experienced a sudden loss of altitude during cruise on Tuesday, the airline said.
The flight, carrying 137 passengers and eight crew members, landed safely in Delhi.
Following the incident, 13 passengers and four crew members were admitted to hospital for treatment. The airline said its teams remained present at the hospitals and were in close contact with those affected, providing assistance and support.
Air India said it had informed relevant regulators, was cooperating with the investigation, and had notified the aircraft manufacturer.
The aircraft was a seven-year-old Airbus, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24.
The airline said passenger and crew safety remained its "foremost priority" and that it would continue supporting those affected and their families as the investigation progressed. - Agencies
