Schizophrenic British man who caused Virgin flight U-turn is 'stranded in Hong Kong'
Family of Robert Hughes, who allegedly tried to open plane's cabin door mid-flight, fighting to secure his return to UK for treatment
The father of a British man who allegedly tried to pull open the cabin door of a Virgin Atlantic plane mid-flight says his son has been diagnosed as schizophrenic and should be allowed to return to Britain for treatment.
Hong Kong police arrested the son, Robert Hughes, 25, on August 10 after his behaviour on board the London-bound flight forced pilots to turn around and return to Hong Kong.
The plane, which was carrying 240 passengers and 16 crew members, was forced to dump fuel on the way back in order to make a safe landing.
A police source said at the time that Hughes - who has lived in China for four years teaching English - had pushed a flight attendant, sang and shouted. Another source at the airline said Hughes had tried to yank open the cabin door.
He has not been charged, and was released on bail within 48 hours. But a court ordered Hughes to stay at Kwai Chung psychiatric hospital, where he was taken after his arrest.
Hughes's family told the Liverpool Echo newspaper that he had taken the August 10 flight after his brother, Peter, had visited and said he was "behaving oddly" and should come home.