A high-stakes incident unfolded on a Malaysia Airlines flight when a passenger was removed after allegedly groping a flight attendant prior to takeoff.
The unsettling event took place at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Wednesday, prompting security personnel to board the aircraft and escort the individual off the plane.
The passenger, identified as a Chinese national, is accused of inappropriately touching a female cabin crew member as the flight was preparing to depart for Beijing Daxing International Airport.
Following the incident, the flight attendant confronted the man, who reportedly reacted with irritation and raised his voice during questioning. He claimed that he had only “lightly touched” the attendant.
In defense of his actions, he questioned the severity of the accusation by stating, “This counts as sexual harassment? Even in Singapore, this wouldn’t count as sexual harassment, right?”
He then made an unusual remark, highlighting, “China and Malaysia relations are very good.”
The cabin crew then informed him that there was no way the airline would allow him to continue taking the flight and that airport officers would be escorting him off.
Another passenger named Ye was shocked at what unfolded and told ViralPress he “did not witness the alleged touching, but I believe emotions do not arise without reason”.
First-hand footage from inside the plane shows airport security guards talking with the suspect before dragging him off the Airbus A330 plane.
The flight, MH318, was scheduled to depart at 11.40pm but was delayed for more than an hour due to the incident.
Local media had reported that “technical issues” had also impacted the boarding process, while Ye added that the airline had also made a last-minute aircraft change, which resulted in some seat reassignments for some passengers.
Shockingly, incidents of groping appear to be a growing problem on planes, especially during crowded boarding or takeoff times, or when passengers are confined in close quarters.
Last year, security was called onto a VietJet flight after a man allegedly began touching the legs of a woman who was sitting beside him on December 15.
After officers tried to remove him from the flight, he resisted by going limp, forcing them to drag him off his seat and out of the aircraft, all to the shock of other passengers.
In July last year, a man was charged after allegedly indecently assaulting a female passenger.
The 36-year-old man was on board a flight from Los Angeles to Sydney when he got up from his seat and moved to a different row, sitting next to a woman he did not know.
He then allegedly touched her on the thigh and buttocks while she was trying to sleep.
When the airline crew were made aware of what happened, they moved the woman to a different section of the plane.
“No one on an aircraft should feel unsafe because of the behaviour of other travellers and if someone has committed an offense, the AFP will take action,” AFP Detective Inspector Dom Stephenson said.
