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Shortly after the plane took off, the Russian-speaking man reportedly took off most of his clothes, leaving only his black underwear on.
The man even shouted at the flight attendants. (Image source: Instagram)
An AirAsia plane flying from Vietnam to Thailand turned into chaos in the air after a passenger caused a panic. The passenger behaved violently and erratically, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Bangkok.
The accident occurred on Thursday, January 29, on board AirAsia Flight 647, which was flying from Nha Trang, Vietnam to Bangkok, Thailand. The flight was already delayed by about an hour and 40 minutes before take-off, according to passengers.
Shortly after the plane took off, the Russian-speaking man reportedly took off most of his clothes, leaving only his black underwear on. According to widely circulated passenger accounts and videos, the man roamed the cabin, climbed over seats, stayed near the back galley and repeatedly confronted cabin crew.
Eyewitnesses said the man appeared aggressive and unstable. He even shouted at the flight attendants and warned them not to approach him. At one point, he shouted in English: “Don’t touch me.” He was also heard repeatedly demanding that the plane door be opened and ordering staff to open it.
In another fit of rage, he shouted, “Can you tell the flight attendants they have to open the damn door?”
Unruly behavior of a drunk man
As tensions rose, the man reportedly began threatening to jump from the plane. Footage circulating online shows the man shouting in Russian and telling nearby passengers that he plans to jump mid-flight. He was also heard asking loudly in Russian: “Do they want us to die here?”
According to the Daily Mail, citing Russian media, the passenger repeatedly entered the plane’s toilet and challenged the flight attendants to a fist fight. Reports indicate that he may have been drunk at the time.
The plane’s captain had to divert course
As the situation spiraled out of control, the flight captain made the decision to divert the plane and request an emergency landing at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok. Passengers said that the crew tried to calm the man down, but he continued to scream and demand to leave the plane.
After landing, the man insisted on opening the plane door immediately. Before the airport ramps were even in place, he reportedly forced his way out and jumped straight onto the runway. Still wearing only his underwear, he injured his leg during the fall but tried to escape. He was quickly arrested by Thai police on the runway and was detained shortly after.
Russian media reported that the passenger could face a heavy fine or prison sentence under Thai law. AirAsia has not yet issued a detailed statement about the incident.
Delhi, India, India
01 February 2026 at 11:35 IST
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