A freak incident took place on an Air Arabia flight on Sunday morning, causing the Chennai airport’s main runway to be temporarily closed. According to a Hindustan Times report, a male passenger on board the Chennai-bound flight opened the emergency exit door after landing while the plane was taxiing at the airport. After opening the escape door, he jumped from the plane minutes after landing.
This incident was reported at the Chennai International Airport when the Sharjah flight was leaving the main runway and moving slowly towards the taxiway. A passenger who was uncomfortable on board the plane took a drastic step after the plane landed and caused panic among fellow passengers. Fearing that someone was going to kill him, the alleged passenger opened the emergency door and ran across the tarmac, HT reported.
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A senior officer at the Chennai International Airport confirmed the incident: “Yes, the flight was still moving slowly when it jumped. There was no loss of life or damage to the aircraft,” NDTV reported.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the 29-year-old passenger was unwell during the trip. Suggesting that the passenger’s condition may have contributed to his inappropriate behaviour, the official said: “He complained of vomiting and is believed to have vomited twice on board.”
The incident prompted an immediate security response after the pilot alerted ground security. Central Industrial Security (CISF) personnel immediately responded and secured the person. The passenger was handed over to the police for further investigation into misconduct.
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Chennai airport operations suspended
According to officials, the episode disrupted traffic as it caused a temporary 1-hour closure between 03:23 and 04:23. British Airways international flight BA0035 arriving from London had to be diverted to Bengaluru. As a precautionary measure, additional flights were diverted to the secondary runway when the main runway was disrupted.
Some media reports suggested that the passenger was identified as Sheriff Mohamed Najmudeen, who hailed from Pudukkottai district in Tamil Nadu. He was traveling with a group of eight people. However, the identity of the passenger has not been officially confirmed.
Flight G9 471 with 231 passengers, operated by an Airbus A320, was in the air for more than two hours, according to information available on flightradar24.
The Mint could not officially confirm this development
Officials confirmed there was no damage to the aircraft or injuries to passengers or crew as authorities launched an investigation into the incident, which is believed to be a breach of aviation security protocol.
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Chennai Airport, one of the key aviation hubs in South India, has intersecting runways: primary runway 07/25 and secondary runway 12/30. It is a major key airport that handles more than 20 million passengers annually and serves as the main gateway for flights connecting the Persian Gulf region.
Although only a few flights were diverted following the incident, officials said the brief disruption had no major operational impact. “During the unavailability of the main runway, some operations have shifted to the minor runway (12/30),” an official informed HT.
Officials further noted that at least five flights, including those to Doha, Ahmedabad and Dubai, were delayed during the period, with delays stretching up to 40 minutes.
