WORLD NEWS: PASSENGERS OVERCOME ARMED TEEN TRYING TO BOARD PLANE IN AUSTRALIA

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On Thursday, a 17-year-old teenager who had sneaked into the airport and was carrying a shotgun and ammo was overwhelmed by passengers in Australia as he attempted to board a plane near Melbourne.

At Avalon airport, the adolescent got in via a gap in the security barrier and proceeded to a plane carrying roughly 160 people, Victoria police superintendent Michael Reid told reporters.

“As he approached the plane, he’s mounted or climbed the front stairs to the front of the plane,” he said.

“At that point, passengers have identified that male was carrying a firearm. The male was overpowered by three of the passengers, at least”.

The child was arrested by the authorities, and no one was hurt.

The aircraft was supposed to travel to Sydney on a route run by Jetstar, a low-cost subsidiary of Qantas.

Reid stated that although police and counterterrorism detectives were in communication, it was too soon to determine a purpose.

“No doubt this would have been a very terrifying incident for the passengers,” he said.

“Victoria Police really commend the bravery of those passengers who were over to able to overpower that male.”

The boy appeared to be acting alone in the afternoon incident and was not known to police.

It is “very concerning that a person can firstly breach security, approach an aircraft and then make his way potentially close to being inside an aircraft with a firearm,” Reid said.

Footage of the incident aired by Australia’s Channel Nine showed a boy in a fluorescent green jacket — similar in colour to those worn by ground staff — being pinned to the floor by a passenger and a pilot.

A flight attendant walks past the melee carrying what appears to be the butt of a shotgun.

Passenger Barry Clark, a wool shearer from a rural town in Victoria, said the teen was “dressed as a worker” or some kind of “technician”.

He appeared to be “agitated”, Clark told national broadcaster ABC.

“Before we knew it, there was a gun — a shotgun appeared — and I was worried about there being shots,” Clark said.

“All I could do was get the gun out of the way. And then put him in a hold and throw him to the ground until the police came,” he added.

“I’ve been taught from a boy to be responsible and look after others and we’re a sporting family, so I was quietly confident I could handle him.”

AFP