China investigating in-air brawl between pilot, steward

China’s aviation regulator is investigating a reported fistfight between the captain and chief steward aboard a domestic passenger flight last month.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China said it took the reported incident extremely seriously and was collecting information. Any incident endangering flight safety would be “dealt with strictly under the law,” said the statement issued late on Monday.

Chinese media reports said the in-air brawl occurred on a February 20 Donghai Airlines flight. The captain became angry after emerging from the bathroom to find a first-class passenger waiting directly outside, and accused the steward of not fulfilling his duties by requiring the passenger to wait in their seat.

The two then exchanged blows, leaving the steward with a broken hand and the captain a chipped tooth, according to the reports.

The flight was about 50 minutes from its destination at the northwest city of Xi’an after departing from the coastal city of Nantong near Shanghai.

In a statement, Donghai Airlines apologized and said it was reviewing safety protocols. It said those involved in the incident had been suspended from duty, but didn’t say if they were still employed by the company and gave no details about the altercation.

Passengers are not allowed to come near the bathroom when pilots use the toilet because of the risk of assault, which could lead to a safety emergency, veteran pilot Chen Jianguo told media outlet Caixin.

Donghai Airlines had previously attracted attention on social media when one of its pilots allowed his wife to enter the cockpit to steal a ride.