unilad homepage
unilad homepage
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • World News
    • Crime
    • Health
    • Money
    • Sport
    • Travel
  • Music
  • Technology
  • Film and TV
    • News
    • DC Comics
    • Disney
    • Marvel
    • Netflix
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Passengers left 'terrified' after man ‘ripped off’ plane’s emergency door and walked along wing
Home>News>Travel
Published 11:19 22 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Passengers left 'terrified' after man ‘ripped off’ plane’s emergency door and walked along wing

The ordeal took place at Melbourne International Airport in Australia

Niamh Shackleton

Niamh Shackleton

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover
Featured Image Credit: @ghostassasin27/Twitter

Topics: Australia, Travel, News, World News

Niamh Shackleton
Niamh Shackleton

Niamh Shackleton is an experienced journalist for UNILAD, specialising in topics including mental health and showbiz, as well as anything Henry Cavill and cat related. She has previously worked for OK! Magazine, Caters and Kennedy.

X

@niamhshackleton

Advert

Advert

Advert

A man is potentially facing charges after removing a plane's emergency door and walking across the wing of the aircraft.

The Jetstar Airbus A320-200 aircraft had safely landed in Melbourne's International Airport from Sydney, Australia, when the passenger in question starting acting 'erratically'.

Eyewitnesses say that the man 'charged' towards the emergency door and proceeded to open it. He's then said to have climbed along the wing of the plane and slid down the engine.

Advert

He was arrested once he'd exited the aircraft.

Audrey Varghese was on the JQ507 flight travelling from Melbourne to Sydney when the incident occurred.

The passenger in question had been sat diagonally across from her when he stood up once the plane landed.

He was quickly told to sit down by airline staff however, and he did - but it wasn't long before he was up on his feet again.

According to Varghese, the guy 'charged towards the front of the plane to the emergency exit row in the middle, pushed past some people, and then he ripped off the emergency exit door'.

"I was really shocked at first," she proceeded to recall to ABC News Australia. "My friend and I were talking at the time and then as soon as we heard someone shrieking we sort of froze. We were quite terrified."

The door was 'ripped off' by a passenger. (@gewwyArt/Twitter)
The door was 'ripped off' by a passenger. (@gewwyArt/Twitter)

Varghese went on to praise the airline crew for keeping the other passengers calm amid the man's 'strange, erratic behaviour'.

A Melbourne Airport spokesperson has now confirmed that the man in question was detained immediately.

They told UNILAD over email: "A passenger on a Jetstar flight exited the aircraft via the emergency exit upon arrival into Melbourne Airport.

"The plane was parked at the time of the incident. The passenger was immediately detained by staff and arrested by the Australian Federal Police.

"Melbourne Airport is proud of the exceptional response from ground crew, which meant there was no immediate danger to other passengers or airport staff."

It's likely that the man in question will face charges. (@ghostassasin27/Twitter)
It's likely that the man in question will face charges. (@ghostassasin27/Twitter)

Elsewhere, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has confirmed that the man was arrested 'for aggressive behaviour and breaching aircraft safety protocols'.

The AFP spokesperson added: "The man was assessed by ambulance officers and later transferred to hospital for further assessment."

The governing body added that it's likely that charges will be pressed against the passenger.

UNILAD have approached Jetstar and the AFP for additional comment.

Passengers on a Asiana Airlines flight from Jeju to Daegu in South Korea last year experienced a similar and even scarier ordeal last year after a man opened the plane's emergency door mid-flight.

The person sat next to the culprit who opened the door said he feared for his life during the ordeal. The passenger went on to be arrested by police.

Choose your content:

16 mins ago
22 mins ago
2 hours ago
3 hours ago
  • Getty Stock
    16 mins ago

    Five ways scientists think the universe could meet its end

    There are a lot of ways that the universe could end, but here are five popular theories

    News
  • HBO
    22 mins ago

    Bill Maher calls out his own audience as 'f**king liars' over $850m Obama Presidential Center

    The Barack Obama presidential center opened in Chicago on June 19

    News
  • Benjamin Vodant / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images
    2 hours ago

    France bans alcohol at huge national music festival as record-breaking heatwave sends temperatures soaring

    Temperatures are expected to hit as high as 40°C (104 °F) today, June 21

    News
  • Getty Stock Images
    3 hours ago

    Target will grade employees on friendliness after introducing 10-4 policy

    The move is part of the company’s $6 billion push to improve sales under a new CEO

    News
  • Man causes emergency landing on Frontier flight after trying to open emergency door mid-air
  • Pilot’s heroics hailed after saving 11 passengers in plane crash off Florida coast
  • What is Hantavirus as three cruise ship passengers die in suspected outbreak onboard
  • Reason why world's longest flight lasting 22 hours isn't setting off anytime soon