Passenger jumps from taxiing plane after opening emergency exit

A passenger opened an emergency exit and jumped from an Air Arabia aircraft while it was taxiing after landing at Chennai International Airport early Sunday, authorities said.

The flight had arrived from Sharjah and had already cleared the main runway when the incident occurred, with the aircraft moving slowly toward the terminal.

Security personnel responded immediately and detained the individual. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew, and there was no damage to the aircraft.

The pilot alerted ground authorities following the breach, prompting a rapid response from the Central Industrial Security Force. The passenger was later handed over to local police for questioning.

Airport operations were briefly disrupted as a precaution, with the main runway closed for about an hour and flights diverted to a secondary runway.

Preliminary reports indicated the passenger had felt unwell during the flight, complaining of nausea before landing. Authorities are investigating whether his condition contributed to the incident, as well as how the emergency exit was opened during taxiing.

The identity of the individual has not been officially confirmed.