Crashed on the runway

Airport runaway (20) ended up in a psychiatric ward

Half-naked, the man stormed onto the tarmac - directly towards a passenger plane.

(Bild: privat, Christof Birbaumer, Krone KREATIV)

It was a dramatic but also very dangerous scene that took place at Innsbruck Airport on Wednesday afternoon. A half-naked man scaled the security fence, stormed onto the tarmac - and then headed straight for a passenger plane. The streaker was arrested. The following day, the "Krone" learned more details from the police.

It was a bumpy start for the passengers on the Transavia flight to Eindhoven, which was scheduled for 2 pm. While the Boeing 737 was taxiing towards the runway, the pilot braked the plane abruptly. A half-naked man had illegally gained access to the airport area by scaling the three-meter-high security fence.

The scenes were captured by a plane spotter who contacted the "Krone" after the incident. "I saw the man storming onto the airfield and pressed the shutter release," reported the eyewitness.

Chase on the tarmac.

(Bild: Privat)

Security, fire department, police all deployed
His photos show the man storming across the airfield with his shirt off - heading straight for the passenger plane. What followed was a veritable chase involving security vehicles, the fire department and the police! The man was eventually arrested.

The 20-year-old Bulgarian behaved extremely aggressively during the arrest.

Polizeisprecher Christian Viehweider

He is a 20-year-old Bulgarian, as police spokesman Christian Viehweider explained on Thursday morning in response to an inquiry from "Krone". During the arrest, the suspect behaved "extremely aggressively". He had tried to push the police officers away.

Examined by a doctor at the police station
The violent speedster was taken directly to the airport police station. However, he could not be questioned there. Instead, he was examined by a doctor there. "He found that the suspect was in an exceptional mental state," Viehweider continues.

Admitted to a psychiatric ward
The 20-year-old was then admitted to the hospital in Innsbruck. Into the psychiatric ward. Further investigations follow. He will be charged with suspicion of deliberately endangering the safety of aviation and attempted resistance to state authority.

Incidentally, the plane to Eindhoven ultimately took off with only a slight delay. Without further incident!