Man with gun tackled while trying to board Jetstar flight in Australia |
A man carrying a knife and shotgun was tackled by a passenger and a pilot while attempting to board a Jetstar flight at Avalon Airport, forcing the airport into lockdown on Thursday afternoon.
The suspect, dressed as a maintenance worker, was stopped as he tried to enter Flight JQ610, bound for Sydney, Victoria Police arrested the man on-site, and no injuries were reported.
Video footage shows police officers leading the man, wearing a high-visibility vest, to a police van.
Reporters told 3AW radio that the man had entered the plane disguised as an airline technician and was carrying a knife and a shotgun.
“When passengers realised he was armed, they wrestled him to the ground with the help of the pilot,” Becker said.
Passenger Barry Clark, who assisted in subduing the suspect, told ABC Radio Melbourne that the man appeared to be dressed as a maintenance technician.
“The air hostess was questioning him as he was trying to board, and then he got agitated,” Clark said.
“Before we knew it, a shotgun appeared. I pushed her out of the way, got the gun out of his hands, broke it apart, and threw it down the stairs. Then I put him in a hold and threw him to the ground until police arrived.”
Victoria Police confirmed that officers were called to Avalon Airport following reports of a man with a firearm attempting to board a commercial flight.
“The man was detained before getting onto the plane, and police were called,” Victoria Police said in a statement.
“Officers attended and took the man into custody. Fortunately, no one was injured, and the investigation into the incident is ongoing.”
Avalon Airport CEO Ari Suss confirmed the incident, stating that the airport was closed to visitors until further notice.
“We are currently investigating the situation, and our immediate focus is on the safety of our passengers and staff,” Suss said.
Jetstar confirmed the security breach but referred all inquiries to Victoria Police and Avalon Airport officials.
In an unrelated incident, a QantasLink aircraft struck seven runway lights during takeoff at Mildura Airport in northwest Victoria last week after pilots mistook them for the centerline lights.
The captain of the aircraft later tested positive for a prescription medication that he was not authorized to take, according to aviation authorities. Both pilots have been stood down pending an investigation by air safety regulators and the airline.
