A tense situation unfolded aboard an IndiGo flight when a passenger allegedly attempted to open the emergency exit door mid-air, later claiming he was “possessed by a ghost”.
The incident occurred on flight 6E-185 travelling from Bengaluru to Varanasi on Saturday night. The aircraft had taken off around 8:15 pm when Mohammad Adnan, a resident of Mau district in Uttar Pradesh, first attempted to tamper with the emergency exit door just 15 minutes into the journey.
Mid-air scare handled by alert crew
According to officials, the cabin crew quickly noticed the passenger’s actions and intervened. Adnan reportedly claimed it was a mistake and was warned against repeating such behaviour. He remained calm for the remainder of the flight, easing initial concerns.
However, the situation escalated dramatically as the aircraft prepared to land.
Second attempt forces aborted landing
At approximately 10:20 pm, with the aircraft just about 500 feet above ground and approaching Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Adnan once again attempted to open the emergency exit door.
The cabin crew immediately alerted the pilot, who responded swiftly by aborting the landing. A go-around manoeuvre was executed to ensure passenger safety. The flight eventually landed safely at around 10:35 pm, with shaken passengers expressing relief and gratitude towards the crew.
Passenger detained, probe underway
Following standard safety protocol, Adnan was handed over to airline security and the Central Industrial Security Force at the airport. Police were informed, and a case has been registered against him.
During questioning, Adnan initially claimed ignorance about his actions, stating he did not realise the handle operated the emergency exit. He later told authorities that he felt “possessed by a ghost”.
Officials confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, and his family from Mau has been informed and is expected to reach Varanasi.
Safety protocols prevent disaster
Aviation experts note that modern aircraft are designed in such a way that opening emergency exits mid-flight is extremely difficult due to cabin pressure. Nonetheless, such attempts are treated as serious security threats.
The incident highlights the importance of vigilant crew response and strict adherence to aviation safety protocols, which ensured that a potentially dangerous situation was handled without harm