UPDATE: The man has been charged with making a false statement about the threat of damage to an aircraft and not complying with the cabin crew’s direction.
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Taking a plane might cause apprehension in some passengers due to the cramped conditions and a fear of flying.
However, having a disruptive passenger on board takes the stress to a new level — where one might feel that their life could be in danger.
The passengers on a recent Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight may have felt that way when a man allegedly threatened the crew and other passengers, causing the plane to turn back to Sydney.
Source: Jawad Nazir on X
He was arrested in Sydney and is expected to be charged.
The incident occurred on MAS flight MH122 from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur on Monday (14 Aug), reported 9News Australia.
The flight, with 199 passengers and 12 crew members on board, left Sydney at 1.40pm local time without incident, according to data from Flightradar24.
However, it landed back in the Australian city at 3.47pm.
According to the plane’s flight path posted by Flightradar, the plane turned back before it was even out of New South Wales.
Source: Flightradar24
The reason for the plane’s return was revealed by photos and videos shared by passengers on the unfortunate flight.
A passenger named Muhammad Zubair claimed that they got diverted back to Sydney due to a male passenger who “started threatening staff and passengers”.
Source: Muhammad Zubair on X
He also posted a photo of the man as two male cabin crew tried calming him down. From the photos, the passenger was bald with a white beard and wearing a blue caftan.
Source: Muhammad Zubair on X
Another passenger, Ms Sammi Marks, detailed the incident in a series of posts on X, describing it as the “scariest situation” in her life.
Source: Sammi Marks on X
She said the man started off chanting constantly but then suddenly jumped out of his seat, “yelling at the top of his lungs”.
She added that he also allegedly walked up and down the aisle “getting in the faces of passengers” and wouldn’t stop even when cabin crew tried to intervene.
Worse still, the man wore a backpack on his front and put his hands inside it, all the while screaming, she claimed.
After the plane landed safely in Sydney, passengers weren’t able to get off.
Instead, according to Mr Muhammad Zubair, the airport was put under “restriction” as the returned plane was blocking a runway. He also said they were surrounded by fire trucks.
Source: Muhammad Zubair on X
Ms Marks despaired that everybody was still stuck on the plane with the man despite having landed in Sydney. She said the pilot told them the authorities were thinking of a way to get all passengers off safely.
Source: Sammi Marks on X
Mr Muhammad Zubair said the plane’s engines had been turned off, causing passengers some concern.
Source: Muhammad Zubair on X
Meanwhile, one hour after landing, the man was still ranting at the cabin crew.
Source: Jawad Nazir on X
Passenger Jawad Nazir said on X that he was “getting aggressive”, calling him a lunatic and asking where airport security was.
Eventually, Mr Muhammad Zubair said they got all passengers to move to the back of the plane, away from the man.
Source: Muhammad Zubair on X
As preparations were made to disembark passengers, the man allegedly said his actions were just a “test”, Mr Muhammad Zubair said.
Finally, police boarded the plane and handcuffed and arrested the man, Mr Muhammad Zubair said.
Source: Muhammad Zubair on X
He added that the rest of the passengers were also told to get off, but leave all their luggage and belongings behind on the plane.
When they finally left the plane, it was already night, and they had to evacuate in the rain.
Source: Muhammad Zubair on X
Mr Muhammad Zubair and Ms Marks both lauded the cabin crew, who managed to keep the man contained for hours.
In a media statement by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), they said a 45-year-old passenger on a flight from Sydney to Malaysia had been arrested.
He was expected to be charged later that night.
AFP added that there’s “no impending threat to the community, ” maintaining that passengers and crew were evacuated once it was deemed safe.
An MAS statement quoted by 9News said a “disruptive passenger onboard” caused the flight to turn around.
The aircraft will be inspected by the police, and passengers will be put on the next available flights after getting cleared by the authorities.
The incident had repercussions beyond MH122, however.
Sydney Airport said on X that 32 domestic flights were cancelled. Others suffered delays of up to 90 minutes.
Source: Sydney Airport on X
However, no international flights were cancelled, they added.
In September 2022, a passenger on a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight from San Francisco to Singapore made a bomb threat and was arrested upon landing.
Hopefully, the passengers and crew of the unfortunate flight MH122 can get a good rest tonight after their ordeal.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Jawad Nazir on X and X and Muhammad Zubair on X.
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