Authorities in Australia, proceeded to arrest a man who decided upon the arrival of the aircraft at the airport of Melbourne to exit the emergency exit.
The passenger on Jetstar flight JQ507 walked on the wing of the aircraft and was then lowered to the ground by an engine.
Opening the exit automatically activated a slide at the back of the plane, a Jetstar statement said. But the man was ejected from the plane by an Airbus A320 engine, an official said.
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A passenger has been arrested by Federal Police after opening the emergency exit of a Jetstar flight traveling from Sydney to Melbourne.
Jetstar has confirmed the passenger opened the emergency exit door upon arrival at Melbourne Airport this morning. #9News
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— 9News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) August 22, 2024
Passenger Audrey Varghese said the man's movements confused those on the plane. “The man was behaving quite strangely,” Varghese told Melbourne radio station 3AW. “As soon as the plane stopped its course, he immediately got up from his position and rushed to the emergency exit” added the eyewitness.
The perpetrator was arrested by the Australian authorities for aggressive behavior and for violating the security protocols of the airlines. He was evaluated by paramedics and taken to a hospital, where he remains for further evaluation, the police statement said. Police are continuing to investigate and charges are likely to be laid at a later date, they said.
“Melbourne Airport is proud of the excellent response from ground staff so there was no immediate danger to passengers or other employees” is stated in an announcement from the airport.