Thomson passengers feared terror attack as drug-crazed man screamed and banged on cockpit door mid-flight
Georgi Tenchev, 34, had to be restrained by three flight attendants who feared he was going to open an emergency door on the Birmingham-bound holiday jet
A DRUG-crazed passenger terrified other fliers by banging on the cockpit door and shouting “We are going to crash”, a court heard.
Georgi Tenchev, 34, had to be restrained by three flight attendants who feared he was going to open an emergency door on the Thomson flight bound for Birmingham.
Tenchev thumped on the door of the cockpit and yelled: “Let me in, I am going to die”.
Then as the crew tried to subdue him he shouted: “They are going to kill me. We are going to crash. We are going to die.”
Other people on the packed holiday jet including children were "distressed" by his behaviour, the court heard.
One passenger said in a statement they feared they were involved in a terrorist attack and were now reluctant to fly again.
The flight from Borgas, Bulgaria, was due to land in Birmingham at 6.30am on July 9 last year.
Before boarding one of the other passengers had seen Tenchev on the shuttle bus take out a coin and rub it with his fingers before putting it back in his wallet.
Once on board cabin crew noticed he was agitated and was indicating up to the air conditioning and shouting “smoke, smoke.”
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Lal Amarasinghe, prosecuting, said Tenchev was speaking both in Bulgarian and English.
He said: “Two and a half hours into the flight the defendant walked along the aircraft towards the cockpit.
“He began to bang on the door and was shouting, 'let me in, let me in, I am going to die'.
“His demeanour is described by other passengers as being aggressive.
“Cabin crew tried to calm the defendant down but he continued to shout.”
Some passengers tried to help cabin crew restrained the defendant, the court heard.
He did calm down for a while but was then “spooked” by a passing drinks trolley, and ran again to the cockpit door which he kicked and punched.
Mr Amarasinghe said because there was no alternative airport, the captain decided to continue to Birmingham and landed after about 25 minutes.
During that time Tenchev was described as going from being calm to agitated and struggling.
Mr Amarasinghe said the outburst happened at a critical time when the crew preparing to land.
Tenchev was initially detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
When later interviewed by cops he admitted kicking and punching the cockpit door saying he was afraid for his life, people were following him and believed that some one had “got at” the pilots.
Tenchev admitted affray and was jailed for 18 months at Birmingham Crown Court.
Judge Patrick Thomas QC told him: “You took drugs. You are responsible for the way in which you behaved.
“In a state of drug induced psychosis you got on a plane and behaved in a most terrifying manner.
“The passengers on that plane were locked in it with you, miles up in the air.”
Amy Jackson, defending, said: “He appreciates this was an appalling incident that caused a great deal of distress and fear to those on board and should never have happened.”
She said he had taken illicit drugs two or three days before the flight and had not expected the effect it would have.
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