April 19, 2012
SYDNEY (AFP) - An Australian man was restrained with cable ties and marched off a jet by police after showing threatening behaviour on a Qantas flight from Perth to Melbourne on Thursday, the airline said.
The man was tied up after "being disruptive and threatening" on the flight from the west coast, according to a Qantas spokesman, with one person on board saying he and other passengers had to leap to the crew's assistance.
"About four or five of us jumped up and had to hold him down and put these cable ties behind his arms behind the back," the passenger told commercial radio, adding that the man had made threats against the staff and pilot.
A police spokeswoman told AFP officers stood ready to board the Boeing 737 when it landed in Melbourne around 6am local time after receiving a call for help from the airline.
"A male passenger, who had been restrained in flexi-cuffs prior to (the police's) arrival, was located on board the aircraft and was subsequently escorted from the aircraft and taken into police custody," she said.
Further enquiries were ongoing, she said, without elaborating.
