Knife scare forces emergency landing
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Knife scare forces emergency landing
From the Bangkok Post (today) April 9, 2008.
This follows on from an earlier post that specifically reported a hijack attempt. This morning's story seems very different.
A 10-1`2 CM knife is not a small knife. The incident says much about basic security measures at KL and Bangladesh GMG Airlines
.
This follows on from an earlier post that specifically reported a hijack attempt. This morning's story seems very different.
Bangladeshi man forced a plane to make an emergency landing at Don Mueang airport yesterday after producing a pocket knife and causing panic in the cockpit. No one was hurt in the incident.
Bangladesh's GMG Airlines did not press any charges against Harun Rashid Hasan Ali, 25, who was found to be mentally disturbed.
The plane, carrying about 60 passengers, was heading from Kuala Lumpur to the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka when its captain requested an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi airport at 9.15am.
The plane was instead diverted to Don Mueang airport.
The flight resumed four hours later, without Mr Hasan Ali on board. He later caught another flight home.
Airports Authority of Thailand president Chana U-sathaporn said: ''This was not an act of terrorism or hijacking.''
AM Chana quoted captain A. Cornel as saying that the passenger, who did not speak to anyone, started tearing up papers and then took out a small knife, 10-12cm long, and started cutting up his breakfast fruit. Though he did not harm anyone, the captain requested an emergency landing for safety reasons.
AM Chana said the plane was diverted to the old airport, which had plenty of space, was not crowded and is well-prepared to handle hijackings and other emergency situations.
The emergency landing request was made only 10 minutes before the plane came in to land. It was directed to gate A102, near a warehouse.
Passengers and airplane staff were relocated to the front, leaving Mr Hasan Ali cutting papers with his knife.
Plainclothes police and counter-terrorism officers entered the aircraft from the rear and arrested the man, who did not resist.
AM Chana said that during the one-hour interrogation, Mr Hasan made no requests and did not answer any questions, even with the help of a Bangladeshi interpreter.
AM Chana suspected the man put the knife in his carry-on bag and airport staff did not notice it.
He said Mr Hasan boarded another GMG flight to Bangladesh at 4.30pm, with officers accompanying him on board.
Air force deputy spokesman Group Captain Monthon Satchukorn denied the air force deployed F16s to force the plane to land. The fighters were only rehearsing for an air show to mark Air Force Day today, he said.
Bangladesh's GMG Airlines did not press any charges against Harun Rashid Hasan Ali, 25, who was found to be mentally disturbed.
The plane, carrying about 60 passengers, was heading from Kuala Lumpur to the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka when its captain requested an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi airport at 9.15am.
The plane was instead diverted to Don Mueang airport.
The flight resumed four hours later, without Mr Hasan Ali on board. He later caught another flight home.
Airports Authority of Thailand president Chana U-sathaporn said: ''This was not an act of terrorism or hijacking.''
AM Chana quoted captain A. Cornel as saying that the passenger, who did not speak to anyone, started tearing up papers and then took out a small knife, 10-12cm long, and started cutting up his breakfast fruit. Though he did not harm anyone, the captain requested an emergency landing for safety reasons.
AM Chana said the plane was diverted to the old airport, which had plenty of space, was not crowded and is well-prepared to handle hijackings and other emergency situations.
The emergency landing request was made only 10 minutes before the plane came in to land. It was directed to gate A102, near a warehouse.
Passengers and airplane staff were relocated to the front, leaving Mr Hasan Ali cutting papers with his knife.
Plainclothes police and counter-terrorism officers entered the aircraft from the rear and arrested the man, who did not resist.
AM Chana said that during the one-hour interrogation, Mr Hasan made no requests and did not answer any questions, even with the help of a Bangladeshi interpreter.
AM Chana suspected the man put the knife in his carry-on bag and airport staff did not notice it.
He said Mr Hasan boarded another GMG flight to Bangladesh at 4.30pm, with officers accompanying him on board.
Air force deputy spokesman Group Captain Monthon Satchukorn denied the air force deployed F16s to force the plane to land. The fighters were only rehearsing for an air show to mark Air Force Day today, he said.
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Last edited by Xeque; 9th Apr 2008 at 06:06. Reason: Two different versions
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