An incident of alleged sexual abuse onboard an international flight has raised concerns regarding air safety. The accused, Guillaume Sebastie n Roger Mattler, 48 years old, faces charges after being accused of assaulting a 29 year-old woman while she was sleeping during a journey between Zurich and Miami.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by the Daily Mail, the fact occurred on Swiss International Air Lines flight LX64, where both passengers were travelling in the first-class cabin without knowing each other.

According to witnesses, the initial interaction between the two was brief and cordial. Subsequently, the woman settled down in her seat and fell asleep. It was at that moment that the accused would begin to touch her on the lower back, apparently simulating accidental contact.

Indications of inappropriate conduct

The situation escalated when, according to the testimonies, the man continued the physical contact for a longer time. A passenger alerted a passenger, recorded what happened and notified the crew.

Another witness claimed to have observed movements with the hand that suggested an attempt to insert them under the victim's clothes. Upon being informed, a stewardess verified that the passengers had no relationship with each other and went to the seat.

The crew claimed to have seen the accused with his hand on the woman's crotch, performing frictional movements on her to clothes. Given the gravity of the situation, the man was relocated to economic class while the victim was informed of what happened.

Reaction of the victim and action of the crew

After being awakened, the woman —visibly affected— confirmed that she didn't know the accused. The crew acted immediately to guarantee her safety and avoid new incidents.

Prior to landing, the man briefly returned to his original seat to collect his belongings, at which time he allegedly attempted to deliver a note to the victim with the message: “You look beautiful when you sleep.”

Upon arriving in Miami, the suspect was interrogated by authorities. Initially denied any physical contact, but later admitted to touching the woman, minimizing the severity of his actions.

Mattler faces a charge of abusive sexual conduct and remains detained at a federal detention center in Miami while the judicial process proceeds.