PASSENGERS FORCED TO STRIP AFTER BEING STUCK ON PLANE WITH NO AIR CON

Sweltering passengers stuck on a plane for three hours in Greece were forced to strip off their clothes as some passed out amid soaring temperatures yesterday. 

The passengers, including dozens of athletes taking part in the IFMA World Muaythai Championships, claim they were left on the Qatar Airways flight with no air conditioning.

The plane, bound for the Qatari capital of Doha, was held on the tarmac in the searing heat of Athens ahead of take-off when the air conditioning system reportedly encountered a technical fault.

Uncomfortable footage shows suffering travellers peeling off their clothes while covered in beads of sweat, as other passengers fanned the face of a fellow customer who appeared to have passed out in their seat. 

The passengers were eventually allowed to disembark the aircraft to return to the terminal building at Athens International Airport and await further instructions - but not until some had reportedly fainted from the heat. 

South African sports therapist Garth Collins shared several videos of the incident on social media.

He claimed: 'Passengers were left stranded on the plane for 3.5 hours with doors closed and no air con.

'Passengers were literally dehydrating and passing out on the plane... (some) have connecting flights out of Doha that will not be made.'

He added: 'Passengers were eventually given a cup of water and small soft drink, completely insufficient to rehydrate an individual after the enforced sauna on the plane.'

He also shared a clip of fighter Damian Collins showing the sweat dripping from his body.

Garth said: 'Damian is a fit, conditioned athlete, imagine the stress and danger for any normal individual.'

Fighter Damian, who also comes from South Africa, was visiting Greece for the IFMA World Championship.

According to reports, 49 members of Thailand's muay thai team and and a handful of Thai reporters were also onboard the flight.

Boxer Thannachai Sidsongpeenong said: 'I was in shock.

'Now I feel that I was lucky to get through the situation.'

Local reports said the delayed flight arrived in Doha at around 10.30am today - nearly 28 hours after the original scheduled landing time of 6:20pm yesterday. 

MailOnline has approached Qatar Airways for comment.

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2024-06-11T14:25:30Z dg43tfdfdgfd