Police charged 17-year-old with unlawfully taking control of an aircraft, orchestrating a bomb hoax and possessing a firearm
A teenager who allegedly tried to force his way on to a commercial flight at a Victorian airport before being dramatically overpowered by passengers was due to face court on Friday charged with a string of offences.
Police were called to Avalon airport near Geelong, in Victoria, on Thursday afternoon after reports a male wielding a firearm had attempted to board the Jetstar flight.
The 17-year-old from Ballarat had climbed through a hole in the airport’s security fence before making his way on foot to the plane, Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Reid later told reporters.
The plane, Jetstar flight 610 from Avalon to Sydney, was carrying about 150 people.
Police have charged the youth with multiple offences including unlawfully taking control of an aircraft, orchestrating a bomb hoax and possessing a firearm.
He has been remanded in custody to appear in a children’s court on a date to be determined.
The teenager allegedly tried to climb the front stairs into the plane cabin but was noticed by passengers carrying the shotgun and subsequently overpowered by three civilians, Reid said.
“This would have been a very terrifying incident for the passengers of that plane and Victoria police really commend the bravery of those passengers who were able to overpower that male,” he said.
Passenger Barry Clark said he tackled the male who was allegedly dressed as a maintenance worker when he became agitated while speaking to the flight attendant.
“Before we knew it, a shotgun appeared and I was worried about it being shot, so all I could do was push her out of the way, get the gun out of the way, break that gun and throw it down the stairs, and then put him in a hold, throw him to the ground until the police came,” Clark told ABC Radio Melbourne.
Kim McLeod was onboard for a work trip and said she and fellow passengers were in their seats when the incident began.
“We had just boarded the flight, we were sitting down, and all of a sudden there was a commotion down at the front of the cabin, you could tell something was happening because people started filming it.
“The pilot eventually got on the announcer and said that somebody had boarded the plane with a large gun.
“A pilot and passenger tackled him to the ground.”
After he was detained, passengers then disembarked the plane and the airport was closed, McLeod said. She said passengers were told their luggage would be delivered to them later. The airport was in lockdown.
Jetstar said it was working with police and the airport to understand what happened.