Passenger jumps off Air Arabia aircraft after landing at Chennai airport during taxiing

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like New Delhi: A passenger opening an emergency exit and jumping off an Air Arabia aircraft after landing in Chennai triggered a temporary shutdown of the airport’s main runway early Sunday, delaying multiple flights and forcing a diversion, airport officials familiar with the matter said. Flight G9 471 from Sharjah, operated by an Airbus A320, landed around 3.23 am on Sunday. (Image for representation/PTI)Flight G9-471 from Sharjah, operated by an Airbus A320, landed around 3:23 am on Sunday. Officials said the incident occurred on a taxiway one minute after touchdown, bringing the aircraft to a halt. Officials said that airport authorities had to close the main runway (07/25) at 3:25 am as a “safety precaution.” Chennai airport is one of the key aviation hubs in southern India. It operates with intersecting runways: the primary runway, 07/25, and the secondary, 12/30. The airport handles over 20 million passengers annually and serves as a major gateway for flights connecting the Gulf region. “The passenger, identified as 29-year-old Mohamed Sherif Mohamed Najmudeen, jumped off the aircraft's emergency exit on Taxiway V. This incident took place around 3:25 am,” one official said. “The airline staff informed security personnel about the matter and took the passenger to local police, who took him into custody,” he added. Another official said the aircraft was towed away only around 4:25 am and parked at a bay. “Runway operations resumed around 4:35 am,” another official said. “During the main runway's unavailability, some operations shifted to the secondary runway (12/30),” the second official said. According to officials, an incoming British Airways flight, BA0035 from London, was diverted to Bengaluru due to the closure. Officials also said at least five flights were delayed during the period, including those to Doha, Ahmedabad and Dubai, with delays up to 35-40 minutes. “Departures such as 6E-1061 to Bangkok and EY-0341 to Abu Dhabi were routed via Runway 12 during the closure. An arrival flight from Abu Dhabi was also handled on the secondary runway,” a third official said. However, officials insisted that the brief disruption caused no major operational impact. “The passenger who hails from (Pudukkottai) insists that he was unstable and therefore jumped off the aircraft, but security agencies are investigating the matter,” the airport official said. “The return flight to Sharjah G9 472 was delayed for over three hours due to the matter. It departed at 7.41am with 109 passengers on board,” he added.