The incident occurred shortly after Jetstar Flight JQ507 had parked at a terminal gate. Officials say the man opened the right-side emergency exit, which automatically deployed a slide from the wing to the ground. However, instead of using the slide, the passenger walked along the wing and then climbed down one of the Airbus A320’s engines.

Passenger Audrey Varghese, who was on the flight, described the man’s behavior as “quite strange” and said other passengers were screaming and shrieking as the incident unfolded.

“As soon as the plane started coming to a stop, he immediately got up and charged to where the emergency exit row is,” Varghese told Melbourne Radio 3AW.

Australian Federal Police officers were alerted by Jetstar staff and arrested the man for alleged aggressive behavior and breaching aircraft safety protocols. He was assessed by paramedics and taken to a hospital for further evaluation.

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In a statement, Melbourne Airport praised the “exceptional response” from the ground crew, noting that there was no immediate danger to other passengers or airport staff.

Police are continuing to investigate the incident, and charges are likely to be filed at a later date.