Shenzhen Airlines awards a total of 2.5 million yuan, or approximately 402 thousand U.S. dollars, to nine crew members of Flight ZH9648 for successfully foiling a passenger's arson attack attempt last month on August 8, 2015. (Photo via Weibo.com)
Shenzhen Airlines awards a total of 2.5 million yuan, or approximately 402,000 U.S. dollars, to 9 crew members of Flight ZH9648 on Wednesday for successfully foiling a passenger's arson attack attempt last month.
Two passengers who helped the crew during the case are awarded with 150,000 yuan, or about 24,000 U.S. dollars, each.
The incident took place on July 26 when the flight from Taizhou Airport in east China's Zhejiang Province was about to land in Guangzhou.
A passenger named Zhai Jinshun tried twice to set a fire in the cabin of the plane.
The cabin crew and passengers were able to stop the person immediately.
After landing, 97 passengers and nine crew members made emergency evacuations through slides while Zhai climbed onto the wing and jumped off the plane.
Zhai was sent to a local hospital and found to be brain dead.
His motivation remains unknown.
China's Civil Aviation Administration has suspended the operation of the Taizhou Airport after the incident. Yang Youde, Director of the Thaizhou Civil Aviation, Deputy Director Lu Qicheng and a number of staff members at the airport have been removed from their positions.
The regulator also required its local branches to strengthen aviation security checks on medium-size, small and new airports.
