India is currently on high alert for terrorist attacks in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games in October, and Mrs Irbaieva's build and behaviour aroused suspicions. Her strapping physique appeared to be a man's, crew claimed, while she drank water throughout the flight without lifting her hijab. When other passengers and crew were said to have panicked, the flight steward decided she was just too well-built to be a woman, and alerted air traffic controllers.