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Passenger jumps from Air Arabia aircraft after landing at Chennai; runway briefly closed
An Air Arabia flight from Sharjah landed at Chennai International Airport early Sunday, and a 29-year-old passenger opened an emergency exit and jumped onto the runway. The incident prompted a temporary runway closure, and several flights were diverted or delayed before operations resumed.
Why It Matters
The event highlights airport safety procedures during post-landing taxiing and how a single security incident can cause flight diversions and delays across multiple airlines.
Timeline
5 Events
Return flight G9 472 delayed; departure
May 3, 2026
The return flight to Sharjah G9 472 was delayed for over three hours due to the incident, departing at 7:41 am with 109 passengers on board.
Diversions and delays due to runway closure
May 3, 2026
During the main runway closure, some operations shifted to the secondary runway 12/30. British Airways flight BA0035 from London was diverted to Bengaluru. At least five flights were delayed, including services to Doha, Ahmedabad, and Dubai, with delays of up to 35-40 minutes. Departures such as 6E1061 to Bangkok and EY0341 to Abu Dhabi were routed via Runway 12, and an inbound flight from Abu Dhabi was also handled on the secondary runway.
Runway 07/25 reopened and aircraft towed away
May 3, 2026
Runway operations resumed around 4:35 am. The Air Arabia aircraft was towed away around 4:25 am and parked at a bay.
Main runway 07/25 closed as safety precaution after incident
May 3, 2026
Chennai airport authorities closed the main runway 07/25 at 3:25 am as a safety precaution following the incident. Officials noted the passenger appeared unstable and were conducting a security investigation as the matter proceeded.
Air Arabia flight G9 471 lands; passenger jumps from emergency exit onto Taxiway V
May 3, 2026
Flight G9 471 from Sharjah, operated by an Airbus A320, landed at Chennai International Airport around 3:23 am. A 29-year-old passenger, Mohamed Sherif Mohamed Najmudeen, opened the aircraft's emergency exit on Taxiway V and jumped onto the runway. He is a resident of Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu. Airline staff alerted security personnel and the passenger was taken to local police; security agencies are investigating.