Passenger appears in Hawaii court after alleged sexual assault on plane

A man accused of sexually assaulting a female passenger in the bathroom of a Japan Airlines plane has been arraigned in federal court in Hawaii.

The Japan Airlines flight returned to Honolulu international airport after the alleged assault on Saturday, where FBI agents arrested 29-year-old Michael Tanouye of Hilo on charges of interfering with a flight crew and aggravated sexual assault aboard an aircraft.

The flight was en route to Kansai international airport when Tanouye forced his way into a bathroom and sexually assaulted a woman, according to an FBI affidavit. The woman, who was returning home to Japan with her mother after a four-day vacation in Hawaii, went to use the restroom about an hour and 45 minutes after takeoff. Tanouye forced his way inside, grabbed her by the shoulders and began to forcefully pull down her pants and underwear. “Tanouye also began to take down his pants and underwear, exposing his penis,” the document said.

While struggling with Tanouye the woman was able to push the bathroom’s emergency button. The woman’s “mother, the flight attendants and other passengers” tried to open the lavatory door but were unable because Tanouye was blocking the door, FBI Special Agent Necosie Wilson wrote in the affidavit. They had to open the door by removing screws from its hinges.

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

Prior to the incident, Tanouye was heard shouting something incomprehensible and his mother told a flight attendant he suffered from depression and was on medication. He stood up to walk around and appeared calm, telling flight attendants he was going to visit his grandmother. Flight attendants agreed not to serve him alcohol because he was on medication.

After the incident, Tanouye’s mother gave him a dose of his medicine and he fell asleep, the affidavit said.

The captain of the plane decided to turn around two hours after takeoff after hearing it took three passengers to keep Tanouye calm.

Hawaii sheriff deputies took Tanouye off the plane when it landed in Honolulu and FBI agents arrested him, said special agent Tom Simon, spokesman for FBI in Honolulu.

He appeared in federal court for a brief hearing on Tuesday, with what appeared to be an injury on the left side of his face. He replied “yes” when the judge asked if he understood the charges. He was not required to enter a plea.

Defence attorney Richard Sing declined to comment after the hearing. Tanouye’s parents and sister attended the hearing and left the courthouse without commenting.

Assistant US attorney Larry Butrick told US magistrate Judge Kevin Chang there were additional charges and “mental health issues at play”. Outside the courtroom Butrick declined to elaborate on the pending charges, mental health issues or the facial injury.

Tanouye is being held without bail at the Honolulu Federal Detention Center