After VA696 made a U-turn an hour into its journey to Melbourne, Australian federal police met with officials when the flight returned to Perth airport on Monday night and apprehended the man.
Passengers aboard a Virgin Australia flight from Perth to Melbourne were unexpectedly treated to an unusual spectacle when a naked man sprinted through the aisle, knocking a crew member to the floor.
A man has been arrested by air marshals after allegedly running naked down the aisle of a Virgin Australia flight from Perth to Melbourne. 7NEWS Adelaide at 6pm | https://t.co/Rz0F3KbLNs #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/QBJktgRSi1
— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) May 28, 2024
As a result of this disruptive behavior, Flight VA696 turned back to Perth shortly after takeoff. The man was subsequently apprehended by Australian Federal Police.
On Tuesday, the flight, which usually has a duration of three and a half hours, was forced to return to the airport due to a “disruptive passenger” who was removed from the plane by police.
The airline spokesperson emphasized that the safety of passengers and crew remains their utmost concern and apologized to affected guests.
Airport staff alerted the police to an incident where a man allegedly sprinted naked through the aircraft during the flight and physically assaulted a crew member, resulting in his arrest.
During the flight, Sterling was taken by surprise when he heard the sound of someone sprinting up the aisle. To his astonishment, a man without any clothes was charging toward the front of the plane.
The 23-year-old engineer, en route to Melbourne for his university graduation, expressed initial alarm upon witnessing someone charging toward the cockpit.
According to reports, the man knocked over a flight attendant, resulting in a chaotic scene with loud yelling and screaming near the cockpit.
Upon witnessing the charging individual, the 23-year-old engineer initially feared it might be an attack. The tense situation on the plane was distressing.
However, a helpful passenger in business class promptly intervened, and two others later joined in to tackle the person to the ground. Eventually, the individual was subdued, handcuffed, and escorted to the back of the aircraft.
As per another passenger who was on the flight, the man reportedly went into a frenzy, dashing up and down the aisle and pounding on the cockpit door.
The situation escalated to the point where two air marshals had to step in, restraining and handcuffing the individual until the flight safely landed.
The disruptive passenger underwent evaluation at a nearby hospital and stayed there overnight. While the allegations were pending, it was expected that he would be summoned to appear before the Perth magistrates court in June.
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