Passenger arrested after hijack attempt on Virgin plane

28-year-old Matt Christopher from Australia was arrested in Bali after he tried to enter the cockpit and behaved aggressively during the flight.

15:37 25 April 2014

28-year-old Matt Christopher was arrested at Bali airport after causing hijack scare on a flight bound to Indonesia. The flight from Brisbane was boarded by Indonesian police on landing after it was reported that it had been hijacked. The pilot had sent a distress signal to airport authorities. 

 

However, an official of Virgin Australia later confirmed played down the hijack attempt as “miscommunication.”  

 

Heru Sudjatmiko said: "There was a drunk passenger, intoxicated and aggressively behaved. He was trying to enter the cockpit, banging the door but he did not enter the cockpit."

 

A passenger from another flight that was about to take off from Bali witnessed the event and said: "The captain of my plane made an announcement saying we were delayed indefinitely because a hijack was going on in Bali airport, about 150 metres away from us."

 

"I saw at least five vehicles including military-style trucks, filled with men in uniform, rushing towards the plane," he said.

 

"Then the Virgin plane taxied away, followed by the convoy of security forces."

 

No one was harmed in the incident.