Passenger threatens to blow up plane on Melbourne flight
A Malaysia Airlines plane has been forced to return to Melbourne after a passenger tried to enter the cockpit with explosives.
A brave passenger tackled the attacker and the Kuala Lumpur-bound plane returned to Melbourne Airport at Tullamarine. No one was hurt.
The passenger was subdued on the Malaysian Airlines flight. Picture: Mr Khoo
The Malaysian Government said the attacker was a Sri Lankan national and that the device he had “was not a bomb but a powerbank.”
The MH128 left Melbourne for Malaysia at 11:11pm and reached 6400 feet (2000 metres) before it turned around and landed at 11:41pm.
The Australian Federal Police boarded the plane to check that there was no bomb. It is not believed the bomb threat was terror related. Special Operations Group detained the man.
Armed police on the Malaysia Airlines flight. Picture: Andrew Leoncelli
“Approximately four kilometres out from Melbourne Airport a male from economy has left his seat and shouted that he had a bomb and tried to move towards the cockpit area,” Supt Langdon said. “It appears he tried to gain access to the cockpit and was restrained by passengers and crew.
“The pilot had then invoked their emergency procedures and returned the aircraft to Melbourne Airport,” he said. “We now have that passenger in custody and he is being interviewed by AFP and Victoria Police.”