Passenger questioned after cockpit fracas

An airline passenger is being questioned after trying to storm the cockpit of a jumbo jet.

Six hours in to a South African Airways flight from Cape Town to London the British man shoulder-charged a locked cockpit door before being jumped on by two other passengers and the cabin crew.

The 35-year-old man was handcuffed to a seat for the rest of the journey and was arrested by police as soon as Flight SA 220 touched down at Heathrow's Terminal One.

The incident was not terrorist related and the man, who was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage to the plane, is thought to have had a panic attack.

According to a doctor who examined him he is believed to have been suffering withdrawal symptoms from a narcotic, it is not known which, and that induced a panic attack.

"He suddenly left his seat and proceeded to the upper deck of the plane," said a SAA spokesman.

"Once on the upper deck he ran down the aisle and shoulder charged the locked cockpit door and attempted to gain entry into the flight deck. Passengers and crew overpowered him.

"The 317 passengers, flight deck and cabin crew were never in danger. A doctor examined him and reported that he probably suffered a panic attack. He was on some habit forming narcotics and suffered a panic attack or withdrawal symptoms.

The spokesman added: "SAA has a strict policy in which cockpit doors are locked at all times. We want to assure passengers any attempt to unlawfully or forcibly enter the cockpit or endanger passengers' safety will not be tolerated."

It was not clear whether SAA's policy of locked cockpit doors was brought in before or after September 11. When the flight landed police were waiting on the runway after being alerted by the airline.