• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • 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

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.

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.

Advert

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."

Advert

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.

Advert

"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'.

Advert

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.

Advert

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.

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

  • Two tourists die and swept away by ocean after one has arm ripped off by shark and another drowns
  • Cruise passengers receive chilling news about captain of ship who died with just one week left on 19-day voyage
  • Experts reveal 'serious concern' over passengers who avoid doing one thing during a flight
  • Passengers flew for eight hours to arrive only one hour away from where they took off

Choose your content:

2 mins ago
20 mins ago
an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images
    2 mins ago

    Jeff Bezos makes shocking prediction about the future of human civilization and you might not want to hear it

    Bezos made a startling prediction about humanity

    News
  • Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM/YouTube
    20 mins ago

    Rapper Gucci Mane opens up about symptoms of his psychosis as he reveals schizophrenia diagnosis

    The rapper has recently released a book about his mental health battles

    Celebrity
  • WJACTV
    an hour ago

    Man who was wrongfully imprisoned for 43 years gets detained by ICE immediately after being released

    Subramanyam 'Subu' Vedam had just tasted freedom after 43 long years jailed for a crime he did not commit, when ICE detained him

    News
  • Getty Stock Image
    2 hours ago

    Expert reveals what 'penis anxiety' is and issues warning for who is most likely to have it

    Some lifestyle factors could be contributing to your so-called penis anxiety

    News