Passenger’s chants delay aircraft take-off

VALLETTA - An Air Malta flight from London Heathrow was forced to return to the terminal after a passenger started praying and chanting in the aisle just before take-off.

The man got to his knees Tuesday and started chanting in Arabic and ignored instructions by cabin crew to return to his seat, a spokesman for the airline said.

Passengers panicked when they heard the man chanting, and he had to be restrained by passengers and crew, according to media reports.

The aircraft returned to the terminal and the passengers were disembarked for security procedures. British police arrested the man.

The flight, which had already been delayed because of bad weather, was due to arrive in Malta Tuesday night.