Australian model assaulted flight crew, yelled at passengers on flight to LA

Adau Mornyang could face 21 years behind bars in the US. Photo / News Corp

An Australian model is facing a possible 21 years behind bars in the United States after she was found guilty of slapping and yelling at an airline crew member on a flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles.

Adau Akui Atem Mornyang, 24, of Victoria, was arrested and charged with felony interference with flight crew and one count of misdemeanour assault after United Airlines flight landed in LA on January 21.

Mornyang was accused of becoming intoxicated during her flight and verbally and physically abusing at least one member of the crew, as well as other passengers, according to a statement from the United States Department of Justice.

According to evidence shared at her trial, Mornyang became disruptive several hours into the 14-hour flight from Melbourne.

She began to flail her arms and yell obscenities, including racial slurs.

A flight attendant approached Mornyang about her disruptive behaviour but she reportedly kept yelling and slapped him across the face.

Her behaviour led to Mornyang being restrained by federal air marshalls on-board the United flight.

They stayed with the Victorian woman in the rear galley of the plane until the flight landed safety at Los Angeles International Airport.

The woman, who was en route to New York, claims she had two glasses of wine and sleeping pills during the flight.

But the former Miss World Australia contestant has since denied the attack, describing it as "an ordeal". Mornyang said in text messages to the Herald Sun that she didn't have any memory of the attack, having used medication to sleep during the flight.

Adau Mornyang told the Herald Sun she had no memory of the incident. Photo / News Corp

"I was so confused and begging and pleading for them to tell me what I did," Mornyang told the newspaper.

"I was ignored, I was in and out of consciousness, and was later locked up in federal prison still with no memory of what I was arrested for. This whole alleged slapping is a big shock to me and I cry every night wondering why I have no memory of it. How I could of done it while asleep."

Mornyang, a state finalist in the Miss World Australia pageant in 2017, came to Australia as a refugee when she was 10 and could not speak any English.

In the lead up to the pageant in July 2017, she opened up about being sexually assaulted at the age of 17 by two men in an Adelaide car park.

In a hour-long Facebook live video, Mornyang described in graphic detail how the two men assaulted her.

"I remember a point where John was on top of me and he was doing what he was doing and I lay there in shock. I couldn't talk, I couldn't open my mouth, I couldn't open my eyes … my vision was so blurry," she said.

"I was laying there praying to God I just died … I just couldn't believe it was happening."

In a press release issued by the United States Department of Justice, it stated Mornyang was found guilty by a US court and would be sentenced in June.

The jury found Mornyang guilty of a felony charge of interference with a flight crew and a misdemeanour assault count.

"According to the evidence presented at trial, several hours into the flight, passengers approached a flight attendant to complain about Mornyang's disruptive behaviour, which included flailing her arms and yelling obscenities and racial slurs," the release said.

"When the flight attendant approached to assess the situation, Mornyang began to shout at the flight attendant and then slapped him across his face. The flight attendant attempted to restrain Mornyang until federal air marshals could assist. The federal air marshals were forced to stay with Mornyang in the rear galley of the plane for the remainder of the flight."

Mornyang will face a sentencing hearing on June 24. She faces a maximum penalty of 21 years in a federal prison, according the Department of Justice.

News.com.au has contacted Mornyang and United Airlines for comment.