A major commotion broke out after a passenger lost his iPhone on a flight. The incident led to all crew members, including the pilots, losing their jobs. The event occurred on June 25, 2025. The passenger tried to locate his phone using Apple’s “Find My iPhone” feature and was shocked to find its location near a hotel where the airline crew had been staying. This prompted the airline to take strict action. The incident, which took place in Indonesia, has caused widespread discussion. Michael Tajandera was traveling on June 6 on a Garuda Indonesia flight from Jakarta to Melbourne. His phone was reportedly stolen during the journey. He suspects that he had placed his iPhone in the seat pocket in front of him. After takeoff, he changed his seat. Some time later, he remembered his phone, but when he returned to the original seat, it was missing.
He immediately used Apple’s “Find My iPhone” app to try and track the device. The location showed up near the Mercure Hotel on Southbank Promenade in Melbourne. Coincidentally, this was the same hotel where all the flight crew members were staying. The signal didn’t stop there — it continued moving in the direction of the Evan Walker Bridge. According to Tajandera, the final update showed that the phone had ended up submerged in the Yarra River in South-Central Victoria, Australia.
This suggests that the person who stole the phone first went to the hotel where the crew stayed and later disposed of the phone in the river. Tajandera shared the entire incident on Instagram. According to a report by the Manchester Evening News, he posted screenshots of the “Find My iPhone” tracking results and updates about the incident. He appealed: “This is not just about one phone. It’s about ensuring the safety of all passengers in the future. Please tag and share this story so that the right people see it.”
Commenting on the incident, Ade R. Susardi, Head of Commercial and Cargo at Garuda Indonesia, said: “The crew members who were on duty at the time the iPhone went missing have been temporarily suspended.”
A company spokesperson added, “We are in constant contact with the affected passenger and are committed to assisting him.”