A 17-year-old has been charged in Australia after he allegedly boarded a plane with a shotgun, police said Friday, with authorities praising several people including a former boxer who quickly overpowered him.
The suspect, who has not been publicly identified, was subdued on Thursday afternoon by crew and passengers on a Sydney-bound Jetstar plane before police arrived at the Avalon Airport about 35 miles southwest of Melbourne, Victoria state police said in a statement.
The boy has been charged with multiple offenses including unlawfully taking control of an aircraft, orchestrating a bomb hoax and possessing a firearm, police said, adding that they had located two bags and a vehicle thought to belong to him. He was remanded in custody and will appear at a children’s court at a later date.
A video released by Australian broadcaster 7News shows the gunman being held in a chokehold at the front of the plane and then pushed to the ground by several people. Police said there were no injuries on the flight, which was carrying about 150 people and was subsequently canceled.
Barry Clark, one of the passengers who subdued the boy, said he had posed as a maintenance worker but became “agitated” when questioned by a flight attendant at the entrance to the plane.
“I looked up and then within a second I saw the barrel of a shotgun,” Clark told Network 10 in an interview. “When I saw the complete gun, I said: ‘We’re in trouble here.’”
Clark then saw the gun move toward the flight attendant’s chest and decided to do something, he said: “This is all happening in a matter of seconds.”
Clark, a former professional boxer and sheep shearer, said he sneaked up behind the boy, then pushed the gun and the flight attendant apart to keep her from being hit if the gun went off.
“I then proceeded to do what I had to do and just put him in a bit of a lock, got his hand and twisted it and put it up in his back, threw him to the floor and then put my knee in his back and held him in a position where he couldn’t get out,” Clark said.
Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Reid said the suspect was acting alone and headed to the plane after breaching the airport security fence.
“No doubt, this would have been a very terrifying incident for the passengers of that plane,” Reid told reporters on Thursday, adding that the police “truly commend the bravery” of at least three people who were able to overpower the suspect.
Avalon Airport’s chief executive, Ari Suss, said Friday that the airport had reopened and that it was “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 a statement. “We continue to work closely with authorities to maintain a safe and secure environment for all travelers.”
Jetstar, a subsidiary of the Australian flag carrier Qantas Airways, also said it was cooperating with the investigation.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said 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 told reporters.
The Associated Press contributed.
