MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A passenger was arrested at an Australian airport after he left a stationary airliner through an emergency exit, walked along a wing, and then climbed down a jet engine to the tarmac on Thursday, officials said.
Jetstar Flight JQ507 had arrived at Melbourne Airport from Sydney and had parked at a terminal gate when the man left the plane by the right-side exit, officials said.
Opening the exit automatically deployed a slide from the back of the wing at the fuselage to the ground, a Jetstar statement said. But the man instead walked along the wing and climbed down one of the Airbus A320’s two engines, an official said.
Passenger Audrey Varghese said passengers screamed and shrieked as the man began “erratic” behavior shortly before he opened the hatch.
“The man was exhibiting some quite strange behavior,” Varghese told Melbourne Radio 3AW.
“As soon as the plane started coming to a stop, he immediately got up and charged to where the emergency exit row is,” Varghese added.
Australian Federal Police officers had been alerted by Jetstar staff and arrested the man for “alleged aggressive behavior and breaching aircraft safety protocols,” a police statement said.
He was assessed by paramedics and taken to a hospital where he remains for further assessment, the police statement said.
Police were continuing to investigate and charges were likely to be laid at a later date, they said.
Melbourne Airport said the man was detained by aircrew and ground staff before police arrested him.
“Melbourne Airport is proud of the exceptional response from ground crew, which meant there was no immediate danger to other passengers or airport staff,” an airport statement said.