Vietnam Airlines denies attacking taekwondo coach

Le Minh Khuong occupies the business-class 1C seat of Eileen Tan while he argues with the crew

Le Minh Khuong, the head coach of the Vietnamese national taekwondo team, was allegedly assaulted and injured by Danang airport security staff Tuesday for violating safety procedures but authorities have denied any attack on him.
A person who called himself a student of Khuong said he had to be taken to Saint Paul hospital in Hanoi since he was unable to speak after the “assault.”
The trouble began early Tuesday morning when VNA1169 from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City had to make an unscheduled stop in Danang due to bad weather in HCMC.
Khuong and his father asked the crew to leave the aircraft and were denied permission.
Chief pilot Ivanov and chief of the cabin crew Trinh Thi Hoa refused saying this would further delay takeoff.
When the aircraft prepared to take off, Khuong allegedly began to shout and refused to return to his seat in economy class. Eileen Tan, a passenger in business-class seat 1C, said he had occupied her seat and refused to give it up.
The crew decided to return to the terminal and notified security personnel, Tu Van Suu of Danang airport security services company, said.
Four officers boarded the plane and asked Khuong to leave. When he refused, they forcibly brought him out.
But they did not assault him, Suu said in a report.
In a report by, airport authorities said Khuong shouted, disturbed the peace, and failed to comply with security rules on board the aircraft.
Deputy chief of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, Lai Xuan Thanh, told Tuoi Tre an investigation is under way.
A source said Khuong has contacted a lawyer and plans to sue Vietnam Airlines for the assault.
It is not clear why Khuong wanted to disembark in Danang or allowed the security personnel to assault him despite ostensibly being a taekwondo expert.

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