Airline staff had to physically stop an Israeli passenger from leaving the aeroplane mid-air after he threatened to commit suicide.

The man, on board a Qantas flight from Australia to Hong Kong, told staff that he was going to open the plane door.

According to an onlooker, he said: "I'm going to kill myself, you are all going to die, it will be God's will.

He then began praying out loud and said: “What will be will be."

The crew managed to restrain him and none of the 280 passengers were injured.

The passenger, believed to be a 23-yaer-old called Ariel, was taken to hospital in Hong Kong. He has apparently been complaining to hospital staff about the food.