A Japan Airlines flight had to return to Honolulu after a male passenger sexually assaulted a female passenger in the airplane’s bathroom, the FBI said.

FBI agents arrested Michael Tanouye, 29, of Hilo, Hawaii, Saturday night at Honolulu International Airport for interfering with a flight crew and aggravated sexual assault aboard an aircraft. The sexual assault charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The flight was en route to Kansai International Airport when Tanouye forced his way into a bathroom and sexually assaulted a woman, according to an FBI affidavit. The woman, who was returning home to Japan with her mother after a four-day vacation in Hawaii, went to use the restroom about an hour and 45 minutes after takeoff.

While struggling with Tanouye the woman was able to push the bathroom’s emergency button. The woman’s mother, the flight attendants and other passengers tried to open the lavatory door but were unable because Tanouye was blocking the door, FBI Special Agent Necosie Wilson wrote in the affidavit. They had to open the door by removing screws from its hinges.

Flight attendants and passengers told the FBI that a male passenger was injured while struggling to subdue Tanouye.

Prior to the incident, Tanouye was heard shouting something incomprehensible and his mother told a flight attendant he suffers from depression and is on medication. He stood up to walk around and appeared calm, telling flight attendants he was going to visit his grandmother. Flight attendants agreed not to serve him alcohol because he was on medication.

After the incident, Tanouye’s mother gave him a dose of his medicine and he fell asleep, the affidavit said.

The captain of the plane decided to turn around two hours after takeoff after hearing it took three passengers to keep Tanouye calm.

Hawaii sheriff deputies took Tanouye off the plane when it landed in Honolulu and FBI agents arrested him, said Special Agent Tom Simon, spokesman for the FBI in Honolulu. He’s being held without bail at the Honolulu Federal Detention Center.

He appeared in federal court for a brief hearing Tuesday, with what appeared to be an injury on the left side of his face. He replied “yes” when the judge asked if he understood the charges. He wasn’t required to enter a plea.

Defense attorney Richard Sing declined to comment after the hearing. Tanouye’s parents and sister attended the hearing and left the courthouse without commenting.

Assistant US Attorney Larry Butrick told US Magistrate Judge Kevin Chang there are additional charges and “mental health issues at play.” Outside the courtroom, Butrick declined to elabourate on the pending charges, mental health issues or the facial injury.

This must have been pretty terrifying for everyone nearby. There must have been worries that It could have ended up in a murder.

No kidding. They should rethink inward opening doors due to an event like this. What if someone were just using the facilities and has a seizure/heart attack etc. the waiting period for help could prove deadly

Don't let Loonies on Planes ....

Aardvark wrote:Don't let Loonies on Planes ....

Exactly and locking the door helps.

Aardvark wrote:Don't let Loonies on Planes ....

Stone the Crows - How would we get to Thailand?

Artfullmover wrote:

Aardvark wrote:Don't let Loonies on Planes ....

Stone the Crows - How would we get to Thailand?

No problem getting here, but NO CHANCE of getting a plane home :-"

555+ We some evidence for that conclusion on some of the posts on udonmap statts.

the loonies own the planes and employ other likewise loonies to fly them ..

Note ... i do not wish to tar all airlines in the above post .. tho one should always be wary when boarding a plane if the pilot is wearing a turben or smells of curry .........you have been warned

dm

Tricks of the trade but a tad cheeky doing it and suprising the bloke

pomps wrote:

Tricks of the trade but a tad cheeky doing it and suprising the bloke

Thanks Pomps
Well you do learn something new each day, not that I will need to use that trick, it must operate the overhead toilet in use or not in use signal aswell.
Come to think of it I have seen the hosties at times lock the doors prior to landing on some flights. Mystery solved how they do it.

But then again none of this helped that unfortunate woman on the Japan flight.