Passenger tries to enter pilot cabin in air

Authorities say he is mentally ill

An Egyptian passenger tried to storm into the pilot’s cabin during a flight en route from Saudi Arabia to Egypt but was overcome by cabin crew members.

Newspapers in Egypt and Saudi Arabia quoted authorities in Cairo the passenger, who was arrested later, suffers from a psychological problem.

“He was not responsible for his act as he suffered from a nervous fit during flight,” an official said, adding that the passenger, identified as Ahmed, was taken to hospital.

Newspapers said the aircraft, with 150 passengers on board, was en route from the Saudi capital Riyadh to the Egyptian Mediterranean port of Alexandria on Saturday.