Chennai: In a bizarre incident, a male passenger aboard an Air Arabia flight from Sharjah to Chennai opened the emergency exit door and jumped out while the aircraft was taxiing on the ground after landing on Sunday.
The event, straight out of a movie, occurred shortly after the flight touched down at Chennai International Airport.
According to officials, the aircraft had already exited the main runway and was moving slowly along the taxiway when the passenger suddenly opened the emergency door and jumped out, triggering panic among fellow passengers, reported.
According to senior airport officials, as per the report, “The flight was still slowly on the move when he jumped out. There was no loss of life or damage to the aircraft.”
The officer also clarified that the incident did not take place on the main runway. Preliminary investigations suggest the passenger may have been unwell during the flight.
The passenger complained of being sick
He reportedly complained of vomiting and is believed to have thrown up twice on board, which could have led to his erratic behaviour.
The pilot immediately alerted ground security after the incident. CISF personnel responded swiftly, secured the passenger, and handed him over to the police for further questioning.
Temporary shutdown of Chennai airport’s main runway
The episode caused a brief disruption to airport operations. As a precautionary measure, the main runway was closed between 03:23 am and 04:23 am, with incoming flights diverted to the secondary runway.
While the passenger’s identity is yet to be officially confirmed, Hindustan Times reported that the passenger has been identified as 29-year-old Mohamed Sherif Mohamed Najmudeen.
Authorities have initiated a detailed investigation into the serious breach of aviation safety norms.
Meanwhile, no passengers or crew members were injured, and the aircraft sustained no damage.
The incident has raised concerns over in-flight passenger behaviour and emergency exit protocols at Indian airports.
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