Japanese nabbed for acidentally spraying tear gas at NAIA II

Several passengers suffered extreme discomfort at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Centennial Terminal yesterday morning when a Japanese tourist accidentally pressed the trigger of his pocket-sized tear gas.

Superintendent Pablo Francisco Balagtas, chief of the Philippine National Police’s Aviation Security Group’s 1st Police Center for Aviation Security, said that Kazuma Nagai, 44, is now detained at the 1st PCAS’ detention center after one passenger, 18-year-old student Karen Louise Echavez filed a complaint against him.

Echavez, who followed Nagai at the Centennial Terminal’s final baggage X-ray scanning line, was directly hit in the face from the single blast of tear gas accidentally set off by the foreigner at around 6:50 a.m.

It was learned that Nagai had already cleared the final baggage and body check when he accidentally pressed the trigger of his tear gas canister. Several other passengers in the vicinity inhaled the tear gas and had difficulty breathing.

Retired Brig. Gen. Angel Atutubo, Manila International Airport Authority assistant general manager for emergency and security services, said Echavez was rushed to the Manila International Airport Authority’s Emergency Services clinic for first-aid treatment.

But she was able to catch her 9 a.m. Philippine Airlines flight to Hong Kong.

As a result of his arrest, Nagai, however, failed to board his flight to Fukokoa, Japan and is now facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting to slight injury.

Atutubo said that tear gas canisters are included in the items prohibited in hand-carried luggage in commercial flights.