Man Travelling Home to Visit His Newborn Baby Allegedly Tries to Open a Plane’s Emergency Exit at 30,000 Feet, and What He Said When Asked Why Left Everyone Stunned

A 36-year-old Indian man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after he allegedly tried to force open an emergency exit while a passenger plane was flying at around 30,000 feet.

The man, identified as Jamsheer Athanikkal, was travelling on a Batik Air flight from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Kochi in India when the frightening incident happened on Wednesday evening.

According to police, Athanikkal was sitting in seat 12A when he suddenly began damaging the emergency exit window panel. Officers said there appeared to be no argument or incident before he allegedly started trying to open the door.

Passengers and cabin crew quickly realised what was happening and rushed to stop him. Video recorded inside the aircraft reportedly showed panic and confusion as several people attempted to bring the situation under control.

Scratch marks were later seen on the emergency exit window, showing the area where he had allegedly tried to force it open. When passengers and crew members attempted to restrain him, he reportedly became aggressive and threatened them.

Those on board eventually managed to overpower Athanikkal. His hands were tied with cable ties to prevent him from making another attempt or harming anyone during the remainder of the flight.

Because of the seriousness of the situation, the pilot decided it was not safe to continue the journey to India. The aircraft was diverted and returned to Kuala Lumpur, where police officers were waiting to take the passenger into custody.

The incident is believed to have taken place sometime between 9.30pm and 11pm on Wednesday. Athanikkal, who reportedly works in the hospitality industry, had been travelling home to visit his newborn child.

After his arrest, he allegedly told investigators that he had felt like dying while he was on the plane. However, police are still trying to understand exactly why he behaved in such a dangerous way.

Investigators said there was no immediate evidence that his actions were connected to losing his job or another known personal problem. A police spokesman said Athanikkal reportedly told officers that he simply felt like doing it at that particular moment.

The spokesman said the passenger acted without any obvious provocation and damaged the emergency exit window panel while trying to open the door. He also allegedly threatened the passengers and crew members who stepped forward to stop him.

Police praised the quick actions of those on board who helped restrain the suspect before the situation became even more serious. Their intervention allowed the flight crew to regain control of the cabin and return the aircraft safely to Kuala Lumpur.

The flight crew have since returned to Malaysia, and investigators are expected to collect their full statements at a later date. Statements may also be taken from the passengers who witnessed the incident and helped restrain Athanikkal.

Authorities are considering whether additional charges could be brought under laws covering unlawful acts that put the safety of an aircraft and its passengers at risk.

Police are expected to ask the court for permission to keep Athanikkal in custody so that he can be questioned further. He remains a suspect, and the allegations against him will need to be examined through the legal process.