(Adnkronos) – In Australia, some passengers prevented a 17-year-old boy armed with a rifle and ammunition from boarding a plane near Melbourne, after he had sneaked into the airport. The teenager entered through a hole in the security fence at Avalon Airport, then headed for a plane with about 160 passengers on board, Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Reid told reporters, adding that the boy, “after approaching the plane, climbed the stairs and reached the front of the aircraft”.
“At that point,” the officer continued, “passengers noticed the boy was carrying a firearm and was overpowered by at least three passengers.” No one was injured and police took the boy into custody. Reid said the boy had a shotgun and that “ammunition was found along with the weapon.” The plane, operated by Qantas’ low-cost carrier Jetstar, was due to reach Sydney.
It’s too early to establish a motive, Reid said. “There is no doubt that it would have been a truly terrifying incident for the passengers,” he added. “Victoria Police have really praised the courage of those passengers who were able to overpower that man,” who appears to have acted alone and was not known to law enforcement.
