Dramatic footage has captured the moment a Jetstar pilot and a passenger heroically restrained a teenager who allegedly attempted to board a plane armed with a shotgun and several knives.
The 17-year-old boy was wrestled to the ground in front of 160 passengers on the Sydney-bound flight just minutes before takeoff from Avalon Airport in Melbourne.
The incident occurred at 2.20pm on Thursday when the teen, who had posed as a maintenance worker, allegedly attempted to access the aircraft.
Police later took the teenager into custody at approximately 2.50pm.
Dramatic footage has captured the moment a Jetstar pilot and a passenger heroically restrained a teenager who allegedly attempted to board a plane armed with a shotgun and several knives
Seven
The teenager had reportedly cut a hole in the high-chain perimeter fence at Avalon Airport to gain access to the runway.
Flight attendants became suspicious when the young man was unable to show identification.
Staff were also aware that no maintenance work had been scheduled for the aircraft.
According to passenger Daniel Defino, who recorded the incident, the situation escalated quickly after the weapons were spotted.
"The pilot saw the shotgun and that and leapt onto him and there was a guy next to us called Barry [Clark] who put him in a headlock and that's when I started recording," Defino told 7News.
Barry Clark, a farmer and shearer from Moama in southern NSW, acted swiftly when he spotted the teen's alleged weapons.
"Before we knew it, a shotgun [allegedly] appeared," he told the Herald Sun.
"He had other apparatus on him. I don't know what his full intention was. It looked like he was trying to get into the cockpit, actually."
Clark said the teenager became "agitated" after failing to present credentials when questioned by flight attendants.
During the struggle, Clark can be heard telling the pilot he would hold the teen down.
"I don't want to f*****g let him go. I'm not strangling you, mate, but you're not f*****g moving alright?" he said.
Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Reid expressed serious concerns about the security breach.
"I can't communicate more clearly how concerning that is," Superintendent Reid said.
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He described it as "very concerning" that the teen was able to gain entry to the runway so easily.
"It would have been a very frightening experience for those passengers involved, but once again I do really commend the bravery of those civilian passengers that helped assist to overpower him."
"Victoria Police truly commend the bravery of those passengers, who were able to overpower that male."
The teen was not previously known to police.
Officers said it was too early to determine if the alleged incident was an act of terrorism.
All flights to and from Avalon Airport were cancelled following the incident.
The incident occurred at 2.20pm on Thursday when the teen, who had posed as a maintenance worker, allegedly attempted to access the aircraft (stock image)
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Passenger Daniel Defino described the teenager's demeanour during the confrontation as deeply unsettling.
"He was dead silent [and] there was no emotion in his eyes at all," Defino said.
"He looked almost fake, it was so scary."
Jetstar confirmed it had been briefed about the "security incident" and was cooperating with police.
"The safety of our passengers and crew is our number one priority and we can confirm there are no reported injuries," a spokesperson said in a statement.
