A China Southern Airlines aircraft in May 2012.Romeo Ranoco/Reuters
An Australian man accused of becoming violent on an international flight to Vancouver's airport has been charged.
Twenty-five-year-old Abdul Zain Ali was scheduled to make a court appearance in Richmond, B.C., on Monday.
The RCMP were called to Vancouver's airport on Sunday after reports that a passenger on a China Southern Airlines plane had become violent on a flight from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.
Ali has been charged with causing a disturbance, mischief and assault.
Police released no further details, but CTV News interviewed a passenger who said a man started throwing punches on China Southern Airlines flight 329 during its trip to Vancouver from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.
"I heard screaming and there was a fellow swinging at everyone," James Leigh told CTV.
"I basically had to jump on him and hold him down while they brought out handcuffs," he said.
Leigh told the television network he had to restrain the man, who appeared to be intoxicated, for three hours until he fell asleep.