The tranquil silence on a flight from Malaysia to India was abruptly ended when a passenger allegedly damaged the window of an emergency door on Wednesday (Aug 5).
Footage of the incident, which took place on board Batik Air flight OD231 from Kuala Lumpur to Kochi, was shared by Instagram user Ourwanderinglives on Thursday night in a post that has since garnered over 43,000 likes.
The user shared that a passenger seated in the emergency row purportedly broke the window of the emergency exit door, causing air to rush into the cabin.
“It was a midnight flight, and most passengers were fast asleep when we were woken up by a loud and frightening sound of air gushing,” the post said.
The video shows cabin lights switch on and passengers getting to their feet to look at the commotion taking place near the emergency door.
A cabin crew member then rushes to the door, which a separate passenger appears to have been holding shut as a precautionary measure.
The alleged perpetrator also appears to have been restrained and pressed against the aisle floor.
The video then pans to the window, where noticeable damage has been dealt to both the glass and other parts of the door.
A separate clip of the incident shows the man who allegedly broke the window speaking with cabin crew and other passengers who were confronting him. He is later seen standing against a wall with both hands zip-tied.
He was handed over to Indian authorities after the flight landed in Kochi, the New Straits Times reported.
The arrested man was named as Indian national Jamsheer Athanikkal, according to the Hindustan Times.
Ourwanderinglives also added that the man had “interfered” with the emergency door itself in an attempt to open it, but was stopped before he was successful.
“It was an extremely frightening experience, but thankfully, all of us are safe,” Ourwanderinglives said.
“Deeply grateful to everyone who stepped in during those terrifying moments.”
AsiaOne has contacted Batik Air for more information.
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khooyihang@asiaone.com