Passengers disembarking after man makes threats on Malaysia ...
A man has been arrested after allegedly threatening crew and passengers onboard a Malaysia Airlines flight bound for Kuala Lumpur, which was forced to return to Sydney International Airport because of the mid-air emergency incident.
Flight MH122 departed Sydney Airport at 1.06pm but turned back while over the north-west of NSW, and landed at the airport at 3.47pm.
Passengers are disembarking from MH122 at Sydney Airport.Credit: @chzaib
The aircraft has been parked on the taxiway at the southern end of the main north-south runway, far from the terminals and other planes, as federal police respond to the “emergency incident”.
The passengers – who have been sitting on the plane for three hours – have now disembarked and are being taken in buses back to the airport after police entered the plane and arrested the 45-year-old without incident.
The man is expected to be charged later tonight, a spokesperson for the Australian Federal Police said.
“There is no impending threat to the community.”
Passengers say they were told to leave all hand luggage onboard.
A spokesperson for Sydney Airport, which is now operating on a single runway, said 32 domestic flights have been cancelled, and other flights are delayed up to 90 minutes. No international flights have so far been impacted, the spokesperson said.
Sydney Airport and Malaysia Airlines must wait for members of the Australian Federal Police to clear the scene.
Social media posts from inside the Airbus A330 show a man yelling at cabin crew and passengers in an aisle of the plane. He was holding a bag to his chest.
Passengers onboard MH122 have been moved away from the passenger.Credit: @chzaib
“My name is Mohammed, slave of Allah,” the man told staff. “Are you a slave of Allah? Are you? Say it! Say it! Are you a slave of Allah?”
In later photos, passengers can be seen being moved away from the man as airline staff speak with him.
“It’s embarrassing,” one passenger can be heard telling the man as cabin crew attempt to move him on the plane.
The plane is currently sitting on the tarmac at Sydney Airport. Passengers inside the plane have been told that they will soon be able to disembark the plane after security checks are complete.
In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said: “In the interests of safety, the commander of the flight made the decision to return to Sydney.
“The flight, carrying 194 passengers and five crew onboard, landed safely at 3.47pm hours.
“The safety and comfort of our crew and passengers are of upmost importance to Malaysia Airlines.”
A spokesperson for the Australian Federal Police said: “We’re responding to an emergency incident at Sydney International Airport, and an update will be provided [later].”
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