Unruly passenger strips and shouts mid-air, forcing AirAsia flight to divert

An AirAsia flight from Vietnam to Thailand was forced to make an emergency landing after a foreign passenger allegedly created panic onboard by behaving aggressively and threatening to open the aircraft door mid-air.

The incident occurred on Thursday, January 29, on AirAsia flight AK647, operating from Nha Trang to Bangkok. The aircraft had already departed after a delay of nearly one hour and 40 minutes when the situation escalated shortly after take-off.

Passenger’s disruptive behaviour sparks alarm

According to eyewitness accounts and videos circulating on social media, the man — reportedly speaking Russian — removed most of his clothes and moved through the cabin, climbing over seats and repeatedly confronting cabin crew.

Passengers said he shouted at flight attendants, demanded that the aircraft door be opened, and ignored repeated attempts by the crew to restrain and calm him. At various points, he was heard shouting both in English and Russian, alarming fellow travellers.

Check out the viral video here.

Videos shared online also show the man claiming he wanted to jump from the aircraft, prompting visible panic among passengers.

Emergency landing ordered

As the situation became increasingly volatile, the pilot sought permission for an emergency landing at Don Mueang International Airport. Despite efforts by crew and passengers to de-escalate the situation, the man continued shouting and demanded to get off the plane.

After the aircraft landed and came to a halt, he allegedly forced his way out before airport stairs were positioned, jumping onto the tarmac. He was reportedly injured in the process but attempted to flee.

Arrest on runway

Thai authorities swiftly detained the man on the runway and took him into custody. Local media reports suggest he may face legal action under Thai law, including fines or possible imprisonment. Some reports have claimed the passenger was intoxicated, though this has not been officially confirmed.

The airline has not yet issued a detailed statement on the incident.

(This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Livemint has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)