Photo: TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA / AFP / Getty Images
A 17-year-old in Australia faces multiple charges after allegedly boarding a Jetstar flight with a shotgun on Thursday (March 6). The incident occurred at Avalon Airport, near Melbourne, where the teenager was subdued by passengers and crew before police arrived. The flight, bound for Sydney, was carrying about 150 passengers and was canceled following the incident.
According to Victoria State Police, the teenager is charged with unlawfully taking control of an aircraft, orchestrating a bomb hoax, and possessing a firearm. Additional charges include endangering the safe operation of an aircraft and carrying dangerous goods. He is currently in custody and will appear in a children’s court at a later date.
Passenger Barry Clark, a former professional boxer, played a crucial role in subduing the suspect. Clark described the moment he saw the shotgun and acted swiftly to disarm the teenager.
“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.’”
Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Reid confirmed that the suspect acted alone and breached the airport security fence. He commended the bravery of the passengers who intervened.
Avalon Airport has since reopened and implemented additional security measures.