Pilots land plane after axe attack by passenger

[itchybum]

Pilots land plane after axe attack by passenger
September 30, 2004

A passenger attacked two pilots with an axe aboard a Norwegian passenger plane on Wednesday but they were able to land the craft even though they were injured.

"The two pilots were able to land the plane after the attack. They were hospitalised and their life is not in danger," police officer Margrete Torseter said.

The attacker had been arrested.

According to Norwegian public radio station NRK, two of the seven passengers onboard the Kato Airline plane linking the northern towns of Narvik and Bodoe were also injured in the attack.

Torseter did not give the man's identity or the motivation for his attack but another Bodoe police officer, Arve Westgaard, said : "He is of Algerian origin."

Police said they were not yet aware of how the man had managed to get an axe on board the plane.

AFP
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Maybe they don't have big fat dumb gov't-reject rent-a-cops in Norway.

Brace yourself for blanket cavity searches and a renewed crack-down on nail-clippers throught Australia and other places.

[Jerricho]

More being discussed (with news links) here (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=146570)

For those that can read Norwegian ;)

[4syllables]

Heard that there was an altercation on a Metro up north,passenger had a knife, aircraft had to land in Lochhart river, police took the offender away - anyone have more details??? shouldnt all pax be searched??? RPT or Charter?

[Icarus2001]

To say that all passengers should be searched seems just a little over the top.:rolleyes: Remember that all of this came about as a result of the World Trade Centre attack and in that case the weapons they used would still pass through the security checks.

What about an unarmed passenger attacking a single pilot with his/her hands? What about someone using a broken wine bottle obtained on board as a weapon? What about a portable first aid oxygen bottle being held next to a lighter? The list goes on and on. How "safe" do you want aviation to be? Why pick on aviation? What about a stolen fuel truck driven in to Federal Parliament House or the Sydney Opera House? Do you remember the nutter who drove his car in to the doors of Parliament a few years ago. Red faces all round with that one.

When the so called safety measures that are put in place by governments keen to be seen to do something, anything, create undue disruption to the travelleing public is it worth while? Aviation is singled out but there are just as many other objects, vessels, buildings etc to destroy to attract attention in a spectacular and bloody way.

[Mr.Buzzy]

Jeepers thanks Icarus.
Some really good ideas there! Thanks for posting such detail on a public forum! Im sure that if some nutter had not thought of those little gems; they sure know them now!
How 'bout we remember who reads some of this stuff?

bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......

[126.7]

Ah Buzzy, do not think for one minute that the nutters who plan and action these such horid attacks rely on poor old Icarus for the idea's.
The point is that, why do we not hear of fuel tanker drivers having to have a set protocol for parking their rigs only at secured road houses. The road transport industry is worth millions, yet like Icarus said, they could possibly be a very credible target for terroist exploitation.
When would you like to stop giving in to these bastards, when no one can afford to fly?

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

First off Icarus, I agree that the security measures bought in after September 11 won't change anything and won't stop another attack, and only came about because as always the authorities need to be seen to be doing something, otherwise people think they don't care.

I do have an issue with your comment though, that the weapons used in September 11 would still get through security checks. They used box cutters, and as such they should not get through. I am not saying they never would (as evidenced by an axe getting through!!:\ ), but the way you made it sound, it was as if you could walk up and show them to security and they would happily wave you through, and thats definately not the case.

As far as Mr Buzzy's post, I think he's dreaming, if he thinks would be terrorists would garner ideas from PPRUNE. Honestly the number of ways terrorists could attack is endless, and if they have the will they have the way. You could post a thousand ways to cause mayhem in the air, without hijacking or even travelling on an aircraft, and I am sure lots of terrorists have looked into those things. My worry is that our governments are giving these groups more and more reasons and inclination to carry out these acts. That is what needs to be stopped, the way they do it is anyones guess and seriously could be one of a million ways.

[Mr.Buzzy]

Who said anything about terrorists? I used the word nutter. A person that has the inclination but not necessarily the means. Im sure if a few simple options were presented to our Qlink 717 genius on the way to Tassie then the outcome could have been different!

Dreaming? Maybe, who would have dreamed of 911 though? Who would have dreamed that learning to steer a plane was as simple as responding to an add and turning up on day one?

[mootyman]

May have the axe come from behind the co-pilots seat? have heard of it it being a requirement in some countrys.

[Icarus2001]

Mr Buzzy I don't really think I gave too much away. I spent all of one minute thinking those scenarios up. Give me a break. I am mindful of not giving "nutters" ideas though as you say. It is very easy to come up with effective ways to do nasty things with aeroplanes (like students do :eek: )

AirNoServices Yes my understanding that box cutters can make it through. Without being too specific what about "weapons" made of non metallic substances? The bottom line is and always has been that if you are willing to lay your own life down as a sacrifice on the altar of (...insert cause here...) then you can down an aeroplane or for that matter kill a president, pop star or prime minister. It has been happening for a long time that way. It is by nature difficult to prevent. I also don't believe for one minute that the experts in US security agencies had not run just a scenario. These people are paid to think up plots like terrorists do.

Anyway enough said about ways and means. We need a little more rational behaviour from the masses and a media with a little more responsibility or perhaps a media watch dog with teeth. Self regulation what a joke.:rolleyes:

[chief wiggum]

Maybe, who would have dreamed of 911 though?


Tom Clancy !