In a shocking incident, a passenger opened the emergency door of a flight and reportedly jumped out as the aircraft was taxiing at the Chennai International Airport on Sunday.
The incident happened on early Sunday morning as an Air Arabia flight carrying 231 passengers arrived in Chennai from Sharjah. As the aircraft was moving along the taxiway at the airport, a 34-year-old male passenger who was on board opened one of the emergency exit doors and jumped out.
The incident triggered panic among fellow passengers and briefly disrupted airport operations, reported NDTV.
According to the report, citing airport authorities, the man was seemingly ill during the flight, which is believed to have led to his actions.
"He complained of a vomiting sensation and is believed to have vomited twice on board," an official was quoted as saying by NDTV.
The pilot immediately brought the aircraft to a halt and alerted the authorities. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, including bomb disposal experts and armed officers, rushed to the location where the aircraft had stopped, reported PTI.
The pilot promptly lodged a formal complaint with the authorities regarding the incident. The passenger has been taken into custody and is being questioned by the authorities.
He has been identified as a resident of Pudukkottai district in Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, the incident briefly disrupted airport operations with the main runway being shut between 03:23 am and 04:23 am.
The officials have confirmed that no injuries to the passenger and damage to the aircraft have been reported.