A Malaysia Airlines flight from Australia to Malaysia experienced a dramatic turn of events on Monday, as it returned to Sydney shortly after departure due to an emergency incident that led to the arrest of a passenger.
The unfolding emergency prompted the cancellation and delay of numerous domestic flights at Sydney Airport, the busiest air hub in Australia.
Malaysia Airlines’ MH122, carrying 199 passengers and 12 crew members, took off from Sydney Airport en route to Kuala Lumpur. However, the flight was cut short by more than three hours as a result of a disruptive passenger, according to an official statement from the airline.
The airline emphasized that the decision to return to Sydney was made in the interest of passenger safety, and it was the flight commander’s call to do so.
Reported by Nine News, a passenger aboard the Airbus A330, who was in possession of a backpack, reportedly made threats to “blow the plane up.” Subsequent inspection by the crew revealed no explosives within the backpack.
Australian Federal Police categorized the incident as an “emergency incident,” further underscoring the gravity of the situation.
Following the aircraft’s landing, a 45-year-old man was taken into custody without any further complications. Approximately three hours after touchdown, the remaining passengers were allowed to disembark from the plane, as stated in a police release.
The identity of the arrested man remained undisclosed, but authorities indicated that he would likely face charges later on Monday. The nature of the offense, however, was not explicitly mentioned.
Malaysia Airlines assured passengers that arrangements would be made to transfer them to the next available flights, expressing gratitude to authorities for their swift response and to passengers for their composed and cooperative behavior throughout the ordeal.
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Sydney Airport confirmed that some flight operations persisted despite the ongoing emergency response activities. Importantly, no international flights had to be canceled as a result of the incident.
