Passenger opens emergency exit, jumps off moving plane at Chennai Airport

Chennai, India: A major aviation safety scare unfolded at Chennai International Airport in India early Sunday when a passenger opened an emergency exit and jumped from an Air Arabia aircraft while it was taxiing after landing.

The incident occurred shortly after an Airbus A320 operating flight G9-471 from Sharjah touched down at around 3:25am. According to All India Radio, the male passenger suddenly opened the emergency exit door and leapt onto the taxiway, prompting immediate action from the cockpit crew.

The pilot halted the aircraft and alerted airport authorities, triggering a temporary shutdown of runway operations as a precaution. The disruption led to brief delays for several flights, with at least one diversion reported.

Security personnel quickly apprehended the passenger, who was later handed over to police for questioning. Preliminary information suggests the individual may have been unwell during the flight, though the exact motive remains under investigation.

No injuries were reported among the more than 200 passengers and crew onboard. Airport operations resumed normalcy within an hour.

Aviation authorities have launched a probe into the incident, focusing on how the emergency exit was accessed during taxiing and whether all safety protocols were followed.