Malaysia Airlines flight MH 128 returns to Melbourne after incident on plane
LATEST: CHIEF Commissioner Graham Ashton has fiercely defended the time it took police to respond to the bomb threat on a Malaysia-bound flight from Melbourne.
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MH128 departs Melbourne 11.11pm
Within minutes man holding ‘music speaker’ the size of shoe rushes towards cockpit claiming to have bomb
Passengers tackle, restrain man as pilot returns to Tullamarine
Passengers kept on jet for more than hour before heavily-armed police storm on
Airport placed in lockdown before reopening, delaying some flights
CHIEF Commissioner Graham Ashton has fiercely defended the time it took police to respond to the bomb threat on a Malaysia Airlines flight from Melbourne.
Mr Ashton said the Special Operations Group police did everything they could to evacuate the 337 passengers on MH128 safely, while ensuring there were no explosives on board.
The operation was initially treated as a counter-terror incident, he said.
“It’s not just a case of bursting into the plane; in those scenarios, there’s a whole range of things that have to be taken into consideration to keep passengers as safe as possible, especially in that sort of terrorism, as it was then,” Mr Ashton told 3AW.
“We know we had one person who had been restrained by passengers and crew, but what we don’t know is who potentially else may have been involved, are there other devices on the plane, is there any threat around detonation, or electronic detonation.
“These are the sort of risks you’ve then got to way up.”
Mr Ashton said the 90 minutes it took for police to board the plane was “not a long amount of time in dealing with that amount of risk.”
A dramatic audio recording captured the moment the pilot of the Malaysia Airlines flight called for help after a man claimed to have a bomb.
“We have a passenger trying to enter the cockpit,” the pilot tells air traffic control.
“He is claiming to have an explosive device.
“He tried to enter the cockpit.
“He has been overpowered by passengers, however, we’d like to land and have the device checked out.”
The plane landed back at Melbourne Airport without incident.
Sri Lankan national Manodh Monaragala Marks, 25, appeared before Magistrate Suzie Cameron charged with threatening to destroy, kill or injure anyone on an aircraft and recklessly threatening to detonate an explosive device.
Marks, who was charged by agents from the Australian Federal Police counter-terrorism unit, declined to be brought up from the cells to face the hearing.
The court heard Marks was suffering a mental illness and had recently been discharged from a psychiatric hospital.
Victoria Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton said he purchased his ticket after being released from the facility and then boarded the Airbus A330 holding a device.
Mr Ashton described the device as a “music speaker, about the size of a shoe”.
“He has attempted to enter the cockpit (and) at that time he was carrying a plastic bag,” Mr Ashton said.
“The plastic bag contained what appeared to be a speaker like device and a cord.
“The offender has moved away and was subdued by several passengers.
“At that point he was trussed up and the flight was returned to Melbourne.”
Mr Ashton yesterday told a parliamentary inquiry there were initial reports the accused man, may have had a second device on the plane.
He said “forward commanders” had to do a series of checks - including matching the passenger manifests against terrorism watchlists - before storming the plane.
He said it took police a while to “isolate the information” if there was a second device on the plane.
“I certainly appreciate when you are on a plane in that situation one minute can seem like an hour.
“But during the night, I was pretty much updated on a minute by minute basis, I’m satisfied with our response.
“It was a successful outcome.”
Passengers Stan and Pam Young, flying on to London, were angry they were not evacuated sooner.
“If there was a bomb on that plane we should have been communicated (to) ... instead, we sat there for another hour and a half.
“There was no communication.
“They literally left us waiting and wondering.”
The brave passengers who tackled the man about 10 minutes into flight MH128, which departed from Melbourne for Kuala Lumpur at 11.11pm, have been hailed as heroes.
Former Melbourne AFL footballer Andrew Leoncelli, was among those who tried to stop the man.
——————
MH128 BOMB THREAT TIMELINE, times supplied by Victoria Police
Plane takes off from Melbourne Airport at 11.11pm
AFP Operations Coordination Centre advised at 11.37pm
Melbourne AFP Aviation advised at 11.38pm
AFP notified Vic Police at 11.39pm
AFP established Police Forward Command at Gate 27, as MH128 taxied to a secure position on the tarmac at 11.43pm
Plane lands at Tullamarine at 11.47pm
Victoria Police’s Special Operations Group notified by D24 communications centre at 11.53pm
Victoria Police general duties arrive at 11.55pm
SOG and Critical Incident Response Team arrive at 12.23am
Formal handover of operational command to Victoria Police at 12.34am
Police board plane at 1.21am
——————
Marks was remanded in custody to reappear in August.
Wayne Gatt, Secretary of the Police Association, also backed the police response.
“Given the information at hand, police had every reason to treat this situation as a counter-terrorism incident,” he said.
“Such incidents demand the implementation of well-drilled and controlled responses instead of resorting to unplanned, cavalier actions that could lead to disaster.
“Police turned an unplanned event into a planned response leading to the safe and peaceful conclusion of this incident.
“This outcome should be seen as testament to the appropriate tactics employed by police.”
The AFP said in their statement their officers, along with Victoria Police officers, took time to assess “conflicting sources of information” before boarding.
“In conjunction with Victoria Police, resolution planning took into account multiple and conflicting sources of information received via social media and official sources,” the AFP says.
“All precautions were taken to confirm this information to ensure an appropriate response.
“At all times the safety and security of the passengers and crew was the primary focus for police.”
Armed law enforcement have boarded Malaysia Airlines flight #MH128 after a security incident at Melbourne Airport.
— Brendan Grainger (@S118869) May 31, 2017
Photo credit - TBA pic.twitter.com/HaAFdz9GVv
Nah #MH128 punya video 🌹 pic.twitter.com/eP8WPVqD8Z
— 👠(@meermuktazzah) May 31, 2017
I guess video sight ni better view kot sebab you nampak mamat tu cemana. Kesian gila pax dalam ni. pic.twitter.com/kBCq8TbfY8
— fared (@fvred) May 31, 2017
Premier Dan Andrews praised police, the crew and “brave passengers” aboard the jet.
He said: “The objective in a serious incident like this is to get everyone off the plane safely, and that is what occurred.”
Mr Andrews said the man in custody had been studying to be a chef.
It was not clear what psychiatric care the man was receiving, he added.
The man held a current visa to be in Australia.
“With any incident like this Victoria Police will thoroughly investigate any response, the State Government stands ready to support that,” he added.
“There are standard protocols in place and the information I have is that they were followed.
“People are understanding of the fact that (authorities) have to know exactly what they are dealing with ... (or) potentially make a bad situation much, much worse.”
He added that guidelines governing flying bans involving people in psychiatric care were “very complex”.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in Parliament on Thursday that Australia’s transport security measures were “comprehensive and strong” but were being continually reviewed to ensure they remained effective and proportionate to the level of risk.
“We do everything we can to ensure that Australians fly safely and securely,” he said.
“Our transport security system is designed to keep Australians safe and prevent acts of unlawful interference.
“It includes the screening of passengers and baggage, hardened cockpit doors, training cabin crew to respond to threats to security, it involves plain clothes in-flight security officers, and ensuring that unauthorised items are not placed on board aircraft.”
Federal Transport Minister Darren Chester said early information indicated the security screening measures were working ahead of the flight and on-board.
Mr Chester said there were no plans currently to introduce bans on a laptop or large electronic devices on planes similar to bans introduced in the United States and United Kingdom.
RELATED: Drama the latest in a long line of incidents
Friend's bro on #mh128. Passengers seem to be ok & police talking to them pic.twitter.com/uJTdojzLI4
— saroki (@saroki19) May 31, 2017
In a statement released yesterday morning, Malaysia Airlines said: “MH128, which had departed Melbourne Airport at 11.11pm and was scheduled to arrive Kuala Lumpur at 5.28am on 1 June, made a turn back to Melbourne after the operating Captain was alerted by a cabin crew member of a passenger attempting to enter the cockpit.
“Malaysia Airlines would like to stress that at no point was the aircraft ‘hijacked’.
“MH128 safely landed in Melbourne airport at 11.41pm.
“Following the incident on MH128, the disruptive passenger has been apprehended by airport security.
“Malaysia Airlines together with the Australian authorities will be investigating the incident.
“Safety and security are of utmost priority to Malaysia Airlines.
“The airline wishes to apologise for the inconvenience caused.
“Passengers have safely disembarked the aircraft and will be screened by Australian authorities.
“Affected passengers will be accommodated at hotels.
“They will be offered travel on the next available flight or on other carriers.”
Passengers @Melair face hours long delays after the airport was shut down when a @MAS flight was called back amid a bomb threat. pic.twitter.com/F0ZYGroVwK
— Ashley Argoon (@AshArgoon) May 31, 2017
First picture of #MH128 on the airfield at Melbourne Airport waiting for armed unit to arrive. Tail and body in the distance. pic.twitter.com/pw5uivfcDq
— Flight Alerts ⚠(@FlightAlerts777) May 31, 2017
Originally published as Malaysia Airlines flight MH 128 returns to Melbourne after incident on plane
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