Pilot stabbed, bomb threat at Chch airport
The Press | Friday, 08 February 2008
BREAKING NEWS: A woman has stabbed a pilot and threatened to blow up a plane at Christchurch airport.
The Jetstream aircraft from Blenheim, with seven passengers aboard, landed safely at Christchurch airport shortly after 8am.
The flight was Air New Zealand NZ2279 from Blenheim to Christchurch, Radio New Zealand reported.
The stabbed pilot was able to walk off the plane, but was rushed to hospital.
Police surrounded the aircraft on the runway, and the woman has been contained.
The bomb squad has been called in to defuse a device, thought to have been in the woman's bag.
John Hartevelt, a press.co.nz reporter at the scene, said the airport was closed and flights have been cancelled.
The people aboard the plane have been taken into a private room inside the airport by police. There were no injuries among the passengers.
Wayne Johnstone, a passenger on board another flight to Invercargill, said he was asked to get off his flight and he saw police surrounding the aircraft involved.
He said there was a sniper on the tarmac, and police rushed into the plane.
"I saw a dog go in, the passengers came out in a rush, then the woman came out, bundled to ground and searched by police and taken away.''
Traffic has been stopped around the traffic and there are widespread delays.