A major tragedy was averted on Monday night after a man named Aftab Ahmed tried to open the emergency exit door of an Air Asia flight just as it was preparing to land in Ranchi.
Thankfully the flight crew and some other passengers somehow managed to restrain the 32 years old man, but they suffered injuries as a result. Ahmed, who apparently is a resident of Ranchi, was handed over to the CISF after the plane landed safely.
The Air Asia flight had reportedly taken off from New Delhi and at about 9:50 Ahmed suddenly felt the urge to open one of the emergency exits. After the incident, people started wondering if there was a sabotage angle to the whole incident.
The CISF then informed the nearby police station which proceeded to interrogate him. Media reports suggest that the police has reached the conclusion that the man was mentally unstable. The man reportedly was undergoing treatment at AIIMS in Delhi and had prescribed medicines in his possession.
The police then informed Aftab’s father, after which he was admitted to a local hospital.
In the past there have been instances of people wanting to open emergency exists and cockpit doors. Interestingly they have also succeeded in their endeavours in the past. In February a passenger had opened an emergency door on an Indigo flight while the plane was preparing to take off, leading to a person getting injured. A passenger had done the same in China in 2016 because he apparently wanted to get some fresh air.