Bomb threat on Virgin flight: Passengers jump out of windows

Fake bomb threat forces plane passengers to jump out windows
Fake bomb threat forces plane passengers to jump out windows

Passengers on board a Virgin Australia flight were forced to evacuate on Tuesday morning after a bomb threat was made.

New South Wales police were called to the plane, which had travelled between Sydney and Albury, Australia after they received reports that a bomb threat was found in the toilet.

See also: Virgin Australia pilot entered wrong data into plane that flew too low

See also: Sir Richard Branson sends hen do thrown off flight to Las Vegas

The note, which was written on a sick bag, was discovered in the toilets by a fellow passenger.

A report on Nine New Sydney this morning said: "A passenger has been arrested on the tarmac at Albury airport, after a bomb threat sparked panic on a Virgin Australia flight from Sydney.

"The plane was evacuated as soon as it landed late this morning after a note was found in the toilets."

A passenger has been arrested on the tarmac at Albury airport, after a bomb threat sparked panic. #9Newspic.twitter.com/s76Sr5W8Cm

— Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) 6 June 2017

One passenger on board told Nine News: "Suddenly the air hostess from the back, the man, started yelling 'we have to evacuate, leave all your belongings, evacuate, evacuate'."

She went on to explain that the passengers were then made to jump out of the windows down onto the runway.

Article continues below

It was later confirmed by police that it had in fact been a hoax, Daily Mail Australia reports.

A police spokesperson said: "It wasn't a bomb threat at all. It was not terror-related. It was just something we were concerned about and we wanted to make sure it was OK."

Emily Waters, a spokesperson for New South Wales police, added: "Police and emergency services attended Albury Airport after receiving information a noted was located in the toilet area.

"All passengers disembarked and a man was arrested within five minutes", the Mirror reports.

The man who was arrested has since been charged with making death threats.

Advertisement