MH122 flight chaos at Sydney Airport: Why AFP and NSW Police took so long to remove man

Passengers on-board Flight MH122 were left frustrated after it took police hours to remove a man who allegedly caused the plane to return to Sydney.

As passengers on-board Malaysia Airlines flight MH122 were increasingly frustrated at the lack of security, just metres away NSW Police and the Australian Federal Police were going through an “escalation checklist” to defuse the situation and ensure passenger safety.

A man has now been charged after police stormed a flight almost three hours after it had to return to Sydney International Airport.

Muhammad Ali Arif, 55, will face Downing Centre Local Court after being charged with two counts of making a false statement and not complying with directions over the chaotic scenes on flight MH122 at Sydney International Airport on Monday, sparking a horrifying three-hour long siege that only ended when armed police stormed the plane.

The man had allegedly became unruly and began making references to Islam mid-flight.

While the AFP are first responders, under Counter Terrorism protocols the State police have jurisdiction lead.

It is understood NSW Police tactical response units and negotiators based in Zetland were immediately contacted when the aircraft was first turned around.

But their presence was purposefully being kept low key as resources were brought into position.

#MH122 Police just hand cuffed this guy#SydneyAirportpic.twitter.com/QmfK6kcEHL

— Muhammad Zubair (@chzaib) August 14, 2023

The AFP is responding to an emergency incident at Sydney International Airport with runways closed. Picture: Twitter

An improvised critical incident command was set up at the airport with the NSW Police and the AFP including specialist negotiations working through an “escalation model” to establish the severity and the level of use of force that would be required.

It is understood police were in communication with the aircraft.

The man, left, speaks to a fellow passenger. Picture: Muhammad Zubair

In the worst case, the specialist Tactical Assault Group (TAG East) drawn largely from the 2nd Commando Regiment would be deployed.

“In the background they will already look at who he is, was he known to police, who is he associated with all to make an assessment and verify the level of threat to the scale of the incident,” a senior officer familiar with such situations said on condition of anonymity.

A man has forced a plane to return to Sydney Airport after he allegedly caused a disruption on board MH122. Picture: Muhammad Zubair

“If he is completely unknown that is dangerous in itself and adds a level of uncertainty and ambiguity. If he is known, then an assessment will be made with the safety of passengers paramount.

“The specialist police train on the A330 will know this aircraft, they train with the SAS in Perth, to have tactics to move from one capability to another as this threat process continues.

It is about negotiation, surrender and calmness. There are 150 moving parts to this, there is a lot going on in the background … it’s not like a Hollywood movie where everyone just storms in.”

MH122’s flight path. Picture: Flight Radar 21

The airport falls within the AFP Operations & Support Eastern Command which is led by Commander Craig Palmer, a highly regarded AFP veteran with a decade of experience before he shifted to a regional commander role with Border Force in Victoria but returned to the AFP in April.

Australian Border Force Commander Craig Palmer. Picture: Ian Currie

Passenger Muhammad Zubair posted from the aircraft and said they had been waiting on the tarmac for more than one hour.

“We are just waiting,” he messaged directly. “People are anxious now.”

Mr Zubair, who works in technology and is from Newcastle, according to his LinkedIn profile, said: “It’s been too long.”

Mr Zubair also confirmed in a direct message that the plane landed around 3.45pm, saying they had not had any food or water.

The man on the MH122 flight. Picture: Twitter

Another passenger Ilya Vlasov tweeted his frustration at no police.

“I’m on #MH122 now and have zero idea where the hell is the police,” he wrote.

Brisbane Airport Spokesman Peter Doherty said any flights between Sydney and Brisbane on Monday would have significant delays.

Delays at Brisbane airport after the incident at Sydney airport.

The Sydney incident has had a knock-on effect to other airports.

“As a result of the security issue, Sydney to Brisbane and Brisbane to Sydney flights are currently experiencing delays,” he said.

“There will also be knock-on impacts across the schedule. Passengers should check the status of their flights with their airline.”

A frustrated member of the public, Felix Wilkinson, took his concerns to social media, saying it was “chaos”.

“Yeah got family stuck in Brisbane airport. They say it’s complete chaos up there. No one really knows when things are going to be resuming,” he said.