Sydney Airport security incident: All flights are stopped, fire trucks are called to the runway
A disruptive passenger aboard a Malaysia Airlines flight caused it to be turned back after he apparently started yelling at passengers who asked if they were slaves of Allah.
The MH122 Airbus 330 flight has now been diverted back to Sydney, forcing the airport to close while authorities board the plane.
The plane landed just before 4 p.m. and is currently isolated at the end of one of the airport’s runways.
A video apparently taken from the plane shows an elderly Arab-looking man face-to-face with an air steward in the aisle.
A disruptive passenger aboard a Malaysia Airlines flight caused it to be turned back after he apparently started yelling at passengers who asked if they were slaves of Allah
The MH122 Airbus 330 flight has now been diverted back to Sydney, forcing the airport to close as authorities board the plane (passengers pictured posted photos to social media after they landed as they waited for police to arrive )
He says his name as Mohammed and says he is a ‘slave of Allah’ before daring other passengers nearby to repeat that they are also ‘slaves of Allah’.
He gets heated at one point and shoots to a, “Say it!”
The passenger on board the flight captioned the video: “Sydney Airport is suffering at the hands of this lunatic as he has taken #MH122 hostage.
Praying for everyone’s safety and well-being. Where is airport security?! It’s been over an hour since the plane landed!!!’
Another passenger on board the flight also tweeted, “This man should have been stopped at the gate before boarding, his actions were disturbing from the start.”
He added: ‘The flight was diverted to Sydney because of a random idiot who started threatening staff and passengers.
“Airport is subject to restrictions as we block the main taxi route from runway 16R. Fire trucks all around. Fool who threatens staff must be blacklisted.’
The aircraft departed Sydney at 1:40 pm but landed back at the airport at 3:47 pm when the Australian Federal Police (AFP) was called to collect the aircraft on arrival.
“The AFP is responding to an emergency at Sydney International Airport,” an AFP spokesman told media.
The aircraft is currently at the end of the runway with emergency vehicles nearby.
More to come…