Russian man taken back by consulate after halting flight to Moscow

BANGKOK, March 21 (TNA) - A Russian man has been sent to the Russian Consulate after saying that a flight from Phuket in the Thai South to Moscow was unsafe, causing the flight to be temporarily halted and delayed on March 20. Security authorities of the Phuket International Airport delivered the 25-year-old Russian man, identified as Alexander Nozof, to Russian Deputy Honorary Consul to Phuket, Phang-nga and Krabi H.E. Santi Udomkiratak on Monday. After arriving at the airport to receive the Russian man, the Russian deputy honorary consul held talks briefly with a local police commander, as well as security troops and authorities of the Phuket Internnational Airport who had taken care of the detained Russian national. The Russian deputy honorary consul then told reporters he was informed by the concerned authorities that the Russian man was not found guilty and did not face any charge, but the Russian passenger had been temporily detained until the delayed flight arrived in Moscow, as requested by the captain of the plane to ensure the safety of the flight. According to the Russian deputy honorary consul, the flight reportedly arrived in Moscow at around 5am on March 21 and he traveled to the Phuket International Airport to receive the Russian man who would be under the care of the Russian Consulate in the Thai South, informed of proper manners and behaviors of air passengers to avoid a similar problem in the future and provided with accommodation and a new air ticket home. While boarding the plane of Nordwin Airlines, Flight NWS2478 bound for Moscow, the Russian passenger said he felt unsafe and no longer wanted to be aboard the flight while the plane was about to take off from the Phuket International Airport. The Russian passenger was then asked to leave the flight for an interrogation and detention by the local security authorities until he was received by the Russian deputy honorary consul. (TNA)