PASSENGERS and cabin crew on board a Turkish Airlines flight to Sudan had to subdue a man who went berserk and rushed towards the cockpit.

He started screaming soon after takeoff and began smashing a cabin window and oxygen mask box, before pushing past flight attendants to get to the front of the plane.

3 A passenger and a cabin crew members restrain the screaming man Credit: AP:Associated Press

Hussein Malla, who was on the flight, said several passengers stopped the man in the Boeing 737-900's business class section.

Flight attendants calmed him down after about 15 minutes and he was taken back to a seat as the plane continued toward Khartoum.

They said the man, who is reportedly of Sudanese origin, was complaining about not being able to breathe.



TERRIFIED TOTS

But around two hours later, the pilots announced the plane was returning to Istanbul.

The man suddenly stood up and headed toward the front of the plane, when others grabbed him and shackled him with plastic restraints provided by stewards.

Passengers were yelling in fear and children were crying during the high-altitude ordeal.

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Officer escorted him off the plane when it finally landed back in Istanbul - about three hours after it took off.

As he exited, he reportedly shook hands with some passengers and kissed children.

Turkish Airlines has yet to respond to requests for comment.

3 The man started smashing a cabin window shortly after take off before he was subdued Credit: AP:Associated Press

3 Police in Istanbul escorted him off the flight after it landed Credit: AP:Associated Press

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