Teen arrested, accused of boarding commercial plane in Australia armed with gun
The 17-year-old charged for the incident was detained by crew and passengers upon entering the aircraft.
A teenager in Australia was arrested for allegedly entering a commercial plane armed with a gun. According to reports from outlets citing witnesses at the scene, the weapon was a loaded shotgun.
A 17-year-old from the Ballarat region in Australia has been charged with unlawfully taking control of an aircraft, traffic-related offenses, endangering the safe operation of an aircraft, endangering the safety of aircraft, having dangerous goods on an airplane, being a threat to the safety of an aircraft, bomb hoax and possession of a firearm, according to Victoria police.
Officers responded to the Avalon Airport after being called about a male who allegedly entered the flight with the gun around 2:20 p.m. on Thursday, police said. According to the department, the teenager was first detained by the crew and passengers on the aircraft, which NBC News reports was a Jetstar flight bound for Sydney.
A video of the incident obtained by Australian broadcaster 7News shows the armed teenager being restrained in a chokehold at the front of the aircraft before being shoved to the ground by several people. The flight was carrying about 150 people and was subsequently canceled, according to NBC News.
Jetstar, a subsidiary of the Australian flag carrier Qantas Airways, told Paste BN it was cooperating with the police and airport authorities' investigation.
"The safety of our passengers and crew is our number one priority and we can confirm there were no reported injuries," Jetstar said in a statement. "We know this would have been a very distressing situation and we are sincerely grateful to the customers who assisted our crew to safely manage the situation."
Paste BN contacted Jetstar and the Avalon Airport on Friday but has not received a response.
Suspicious bags belonging to teenager found on the plane
Officers allegedly found two bags and a vehicle belonging to the teenager, police said. The department's Bomb Response Unit was called to help with the bags as a safety precaution.
No one on the aircraft was physically injured during the incident, police said. The charged teenager remains in custody as he awaits to appear at a children's court at a later date, according to the department.
Barry Clark, one of the passengers who subdued the teenager, told Network 10 that the boy posed as a maintenance worker but became “agitated” when questioned by a flight attendant at the entrance of the plane.
“I looked up and then, within a second, I saw the barrel of a shotgun,” Clark, a former professional boxer, said, per the Australian TV network. “When I saw the complete gun, I said: ‘We’re in trouble here.’"
Daniel Defina, a passenger sitting next to Clark, told 9News in Australia about the incident.
"He tried to walk into the cockpit, Defina said, per the outlet. "The airline (attendant) stopped him and asked if he was meant to be on the plane and asked for the boarding pass. He tried to point to the cockpit and said he needed to do something in there. That's when they turned around and saw a shotgun."
Victoria police: Teenager allegedly acted alone
Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Reid said the teenager was acting alone and headed to the plane after climbing through a hole in the airport's security fence, ABC News reported.
“No doubt, this would have been a very terrifying incident for the passengers of that plane,” Reid told the outlet, adding that the police “truly commend the bravery” of at least three people who were able to overpower the suspect.
Ari Suss, Avalon Airport’s chief executive, said in a statement obtained by the Washington Post that the airport has reopened and is "fully supporting the police investigation."
“As part of our ongoing commitment to security, we have implemented further measures across the airport, including within the terminal and surrounding areas,” Suss said in the statement. “We continue to work closely with authorities to maintain a safe and secure environment for all travelers.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told ABC News that the country’s airports had strong security.
“This incident is concerning for members of the public. I commend the work of police and aviation officials in responding to it quickly,” Albanese said, per the outlet.
Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for Paste BN. Reach him at JLimehouse@gannett.com.