Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport has been forced into lockdown after a passenger on an outgoing flight reportedly attempted to hijack the plane, forcing it to make an emergency landing.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH128 took off from Melbourne travelling to Kuala Lumpur at 11.11pm on Wednesday, but only minutes into the flight a passenger claiming he had “explosives” reportedly tried to enter the cockpit.
Other passengers on the plane reportedly managed to subdue the man, before the pilot turned the aircraft around and returned it to Melbourne Airport.
A woman named Vanessa, whose boyfriend, Andrew, was a passenger on the plane, told radio station 3AW the man threatened to detonate the explosives on the plane.
“He was the one who first confronted him when an air hostess was getting scared of this guy and that’s when the guy said ‘I’m going to blow up this plane,” she said.
Vanessa said the man then ran to another part of the plane, where he was tackled to the ground by other passengers.
“That’s when he was detained by other passengers I believe,” she said.
The plane sat on the tarmac shortly, awaiting the bomb disposal unit. All onboard passengers disembarked the flight shortly before 2am.
All planes due to leave Tullamarine have reportedly been grounded, while incoming aircraft were diverted to nearby Avalon Airport and as far away as Tasmania.
Malaysia Airlines has released a statement confirming the incident.
“Malaysia Airlines flight MH128 of 31 May from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur was forced to turn back to Melbourne due to a disruptive passenger,” it read.
“MH128 departed Melbourne Airport at 11.11pm and was to arrive Kuala Lumpur at 5.28am on 1 June made a turn back to Melbourne after the operating Captain was alerted by a cabin crew of a passenger attempting to enter the cockpit.
“MH128 safely landed in Melbourne Airport at 11.41pm. The aircraft is currently on the remote bay and waiting for security assistance to arrive at the aircraft.”
Online photo of moment attacker was tackled by other passengers. 