A 17-year-old boy allegedly declared “I’ve got bombs in my bag” before being tackled by crew members and passengers who suspected him of attempting to hijack a Jetstar flight.
The teenager sparked quick reactions from those onboard a flight departing Avalon Airport in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday after allegedly entering the plane armed with a gun.
The 17-year-old is accused of gaining access to the aircraft by climbing through a hole in the security fence, according to local media. Police reportedly also found a vehicle and two bags suspected to belong to the Ballarat native.
He appeared in a Children’s Court in Australia on Friday and was charged with 12 offences, including unlawfully taking control of an aircraft, possessing a firearm without a licence, possessing a fake explosive device and traffic-related offences. He was taken into custody after declining an application for bail.
Reports suggest that the teenager, who can’t be named for legal reasons, was armed with a stolen shotgun and a homemade explosive when he boarded the flight.
He allegedly said “I’ve got bombs in my bag”, before being tackled by the plane’s crew and passengers.
Barry Clark, one of those onboard who acted quickly to overpower the boy, told ABC News Australia: “You don’t think, you act. You’ve just got to do what you’ve got to do.”
Other witnesses told 9News that they had been left terrified by the ordeal. “A lot of people [started] crying, getting freaked out,” one person said. “I tried hugging my mum, keeping her safe.”
Avalon Airport was temporarily closed following the incident, with chief executive Ari Suss telling reporters that further security measures had been rolled out following the breach, “within the terminal and surrounding areas”.
“We are working with police and airport authorities as they investigate a security incident at Avalon Airport on Thursday,” a spokesperson for Jetstar told Sky News.
“The safety of our passengers and crew is our number one priority and we can confirm there were no reported injuries.
“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.”
