Kochi flight incident
New Delhi: An Indian citizen accused of attempting to open the emergency exit of a Batik Air flight bound for Kerala's Kochi was arrested on 6th August, 2026. An FIR has been filed against the passenger, who allegedly also damaged the window panel of the exit, as per media reports.
The accused came up as Jamshed Athanikkal, a resident of Kootannad in Kerala's Palakkad district.
Jamshed was onboard the flight OD231 from Kuala Lumpur to Kochi on Wednesday. According to the FIR, the incident occurred between the hours of 9:30 pm and 11:05 pm while the plane was in the air.
The FIR said the passenger attempted to forcibly open the aircraft's emergency exit and damaged its window panel, as well as threatened other passengers. That action jeopardised the safety of everyone on board.
Reports say the cabin crew immediately identified the problem and restrained the passenger before a potentially wider incident could occur. They were also able to keep the individual under control for the remainder of his trip. He was taken into custody by airport security and police officials once the flight had landed at Kochi International Airport.
The airline subsequently reported the incident to the police and an FIR was filed. The authorities have launched an investigation to check why the passenger attempted to open the emergency exit mid-flight, and whether there were any other reasons for the incident.
Attempting to open an aircraft's emergency exit mid-flight is a serious offence because of the danger posed to the safety of both passengers and crew members. Aviation safety regulations consider this to be a very serious offence. An investigation is now underway, and further legal action will be taken based on the findings.
