TERNATE, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian man with the coronavirus has boarded a domestic flight disguised as his wife, wearing a niqab covering his face and carrying fake IDs and a negative PCR test result.
But the cover didn't last long.
Police say a flight attendant aboard a Citilink plane traveling from Jakarta to Ternate in North Maluku province on Sunday noticed the man change the clothes in the lavatory.
In a statement to the Associated Press, Ternate police chief Aditya Laksimada said the man, whose full name has not been released, bought the plane ticket and brought the identity card, PCR test result, and vaccination card all under his wife's name.
He was arrested upon landing and tested positive for COVID-19.
The man is currently self-isolating at home and police say the investigation will continue.
Indonesia is in the grip of the worse coronavirus surge in Asia with 33,772 new confirmed cases and 1,383 deaths.
Restrictions on travel include a mandatory negative coronavirus test.
