Man climbs plane gear, is nabbed
MANILA, Philippines—Airport police on Friday morning arrested a suspected deranged man who was caught attempting to climb the front landing gear of a jetliner bound for Osaka, Japan, moments before its scheduled takeoff.
The man, who identified himself initially as Don Alfredo Gutierrez and later as John Rey Tanacio, was tackled by the airport policemen past 7 a.m. at Bay 4 of Naia Terminal 1 after a brief chase at the tarmac.
Aircraft personnel of Jetstar Airways immediately alerted the police after seeing the man trying to sneak into its Airbus 320 (Flight 3K 3763) parked at Naia 1’s Bay 9. The flight was supposed to depart from Manila for Osaka, Japan, at 6:55 a.m.
Airport Police Officer 2 Nemencio Bawalan said the man ran away when the ground staff of Jetstar confronted him.
He was cornered by the airport police at Bay 4.
In an interview, the suspect claimed he had studied Aeronautical Engineering in Pasay City. He said he was 25 years old and a resident of San Isidro, Parañaque City.
