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Woman records alleged sexual assault by head steward on MAS flight

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A woman who alleged that a steward sexually assaulted her on a Malaysian Airlines flight to Paris has given a TV interview and revealed that she recorded the man during the assault.

Ms Laura Bushney, 26, from Perth, said she told her story to Australian media because she feels let down by the actions of the airline.

She told Seven Sunday Night TV ​that she was assaulted twice and fought back tears as she showed chilling footage taken from her phone on Aug 4. 

Three hours after take-off, when she was scared by turbulence, Bushney said head steward Mohd Rosli Abd​ Karim, 54, sat beside her and began massaging her legs.

Ms Bushney claims he then put his hands down her pants and touched her genitals.

"I just kept thinking why didn’t I scream? Why didn’t I stop it? I am a strong person and I knew I could do it," Ms Bushney said.

"But in the moment I couldn’t. I felt so scared, so petrified."


Ms​ Laura Bushney told Sunday Night about being sexually assaulted by a steward on route to Paris. Photo: Sunday Night/YouTube

Ms Bushney recorded the incident on her phone that was wrapped in a scarf.

In her recording, she can be heard whispering what he was doing to her like, "He's massaging my legs," and "I'm so scared, I just want to get off this plane."

Half of the plane was empty and Ms​ Bushney was seated in a row that had only one occupied place, six seats away.

"I pushed his hand away. I thought my pushing him away was telling him I didn’t want that to happen but I didn’t want to say it, I was just scared."


Ms​ Bushney recorded what had happened with Mr Rosli (above). Photo: Sunday Night/YouTube

It was when she asked him to get her a drink did she muster up the courage to alert the passenger seated in front of her.

Canadian Sophie Lachance felt Bushney touch her arm to wake her up and saw Ms​ Bushney in tears.

"She told me that this man did something to her."

Ms Lachance confronted Rosli, who is married with three children, and recorded it on video. He pleaded with them saying his "intentions were good".

Ms​ Sophie Lachance helped Ms​ Bushney by confronting the steward about the sexual assault. Photo: Sunday Night/YouTube

Bushney made a formal complaint to the police at the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, reported Daily Mail. 

Rosli remains in the custody of the French police.

Malaysia Airlines has responded with a public statement but has yet to contact Ms Bushney.

"Malaysia Airlines can confirm that following allegations by a passenger travelling on flight MH20 from Kuala Lumpur to Paris on 4th August 2014 of inappropriate sexual behaviour by a member of the cabin crew, the member of staff in question has been detained for questioning by the French police."

"Malaysia Airlines expects and accepts nothing short of the highest standards of conduct from its crew and takes any such allegations very seriously."

Sources: AFP, Sunday Night, Daily Mail

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