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A fellow passenger shared that people on the flight and the cabin crew rushed to the scene immediately, intervened and later restrained the man for the rest of the flight.
‘Extremely Frightening’: Man On Kochi-Bound Flight Tampers With Emergency Exit, Tries To Open It Mid-Air
An ordinary overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kochi turned into a frightening experience for passengers after a man allegedly tampered with an emergency exit door while the aircraft was mid-air. His actions caused panic, which ultimately led the passengers and cabin crew to intervene and restrain him for the remaining flight time.
The incident took place on a Batik Air flight to Kochi, Kerala, on the night of August 5. Sharing the ordeal on Instagram, a passenger described the experience as “disturbing” and “terrifying.” She shared that because it was a midnight flight most passengers were asleep when they suddenly heard a loud sound of rushing air.
“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,” she wrote, adding that the man seated in the emergency exit row somehow managed to break a window panel and interfered with the emergency exit door.
“We could hear the frightening sound of air rushing through the aircraft. Thankfully, due to the aircraft’s design and cabin pressure, the door remained closed,” she added. “Fellow passengers and @batikair crew acted immediately, restrained him and prevented the situation from escalating further.”
In the clip, the cabin crew was seen intervening while passengers panicked right after the incident. They, along with other flyers, managed to restrain the man who tampered with the emergency exit for the rest of the flight. His hands were left tied even after landing in Kochi, and he was then handed over to the authorities.
Calling it an “extremely frightening experience,” the traveller expressed relief that everyone onboard remained safe. She wrote, “It was an extremely frightening experience, but thankfully, all of us are safe. Deeply grateful to everyone who stepped in during those terrifying moments.”
“These People Should Be Banned From Flying”
The incident has since gone viral, with many users praising the passengers and crew for their timely intervention, while others expressed concern over how the man was able to interfere with the emergency exit.
An individual asked, “Whyyyyyy? Why do people keep wanting to open aeroplane doors mid-flight? These people should be banned from flying!”
“Waiting for a day where the misbehaved passengers can be disqualified from flying on all airlines and forced to use ship, train or bus,” wrote a user.
Another said, “For endangering the lives of all passengers and crew, he should be restrained immediately and without hesitation!!! Luckily, the outcome was safe, and the aircraft landed safely.”
A different person commented, “He should be arrested and banned from any further air travel.”
Meanwhile, someone else pointed out, “You can’t open the emergency exit door mid-flight. Period.”
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A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
August 06, 2026, 18:19 IST
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