Kochi: A terrifying mid-air incident unfolded aboard Batik Air flight OD231 from Kuala Lumpur to Kochi when a passenger suddenly attacked the inner panel of an emergency exit and attempted to open the door mid-flight.
The incident took place around 11:30 PM on Wednesday night, just half an hour before the plane was scheduled to land at Nedumbassery, as the flight was navigating through air pockets at nearly 25,000 feet.
Panic erupted inside the cabin when passengers, many of whom were sleeping, were startled awake by a loud shattering noise followed by the rush of wind.
The suspect, identified as Jamsheer from Koottanad in Palakkad, sat near the emergency exit and suddenly kicked the inner window panel without any provocation before aggressively trying to force the emergency door open.
Hearing the commotion, nearby passengers and air hostesses reacted swiftly, rushing to restrain him before he could force the door open.
Witnesses noted that even after being subdued, the man remained strangely calm and composed, showing no visible reaction to the chaos he had caused.
Aviation safety experts noted that if Jamsheer had even two more minutes, breaking the outer window pane could have caused a rapid drop in cabin pressure, potentially leading to a catastrophic loss of control mid-air.
Upon safe landing at Nedumbassery Airport, officers from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) immediately boarded the aircraft and took Jamsheer into custody.
He was subsequently handed over to the Nedumbassery Police, who registered a case under aviation safety laws and launched a formal investigation into the reckless act that endangered public safety.
