A passenger caused panic on a flight from Italy after allegedly starting a fire inside the aircraft cabin.

Witnesses said the young man had travelled to Milan but was denied entry. He was scheduled to return to Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam, when he began behaving erratically.

The Chinese passenger allegedly ignited a fire by snapping his phone in half, causing the battery to catch fire and triggering chaos onboard.

Footage captured by fellow traveller Luong Thanh Dat shows Italian police officers alongside flight crew calmly escorting the man, who was wearing a white jacket, down the aisle of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Luong Thanh Dat said: 'On my very first flight, I saw something wild - this passenger actually lit a fire right inside the cabin.

'Everyone panicked for a moment, but thankfully, security responded quickly and brought the situation under control. It was intense and something I will never forget.'

Records show that flight VN72 operated by Vietnam Airlines landed safely at Noi Bai International Airport, where the passenger was handed over to authorities for questioning following the incident on September 27.

No injuries were reported. Vietnam Airlines has not commented on the disturbance.