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Japan Airlines flight returns to Honolulu after sexual assault incident aboard

by IBNS 15 Oct 2014, 11:08 am

Honolulu, Oct 15 (IBNS): A Japan Airlines flight had to return to Honolulu after a male passenger allegedly sexually assaulted a female co-passenger in the airplane's lavatory, the FBI said.

Media reports said FBI agents arrested Michael Tanouye, 29, of Hilo, Hawaii, on Saturday night at Honolulu International Airport for interfering with a flight crew.

The flight was en-route to Kansai International Airport when Tanouye allegedly forced his way into a bathroom and sexually assaulted a woman.

The woman was returning home to Japan with her mother after a four-day vacation in Hawaii. The incident took place when she went to use the restroom about an hour and 45 minutes after takeoff.

Flight attendants and passengers told the FBI that a male passenger was injured while struggling to subdue Tanouye, reports said.