Passenger jumps from taxiing Air Arabia flight at Chennai

A 34-year-old male passenger from Pudukkottai district in Tamil Nadu opened an emergency exit door and jumped from an Air Arabia flight while it was taxiing at Chennai International Airport early Sunday morning, prompting a swift security response and a temporary runway closure.

The incident occurred around 3:25 a.m. local time on flight G9471, an Airbus A320 that had just landed from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, carrying 231 passengers and crew. As the aircraft moved slowly along Taxiway V toward its parking bay, the passenger accessed the door and leapt onto the taxiway, according to airport officials. The pilot immediately halted the plane, alerted air traffic control and ground authorities, and filed a formal complaint.

Central Industrial Security Force personnel, including bomb disposal experts and armed officers, rushed to the scene, boarded the aircraft, detained the man without incident, and handed him over to local police for questioning. Officials said his mental condition is under assessment. No injuries were reported among passengers, crew, or ground staff, and the aircraft sustained no damage.

Preliminary accounts indicate the passenger had felt unwell during the...