Article
Air stabbing over seating plan
By Janine O'Neill
16jul03
A MAN stabbed a fellow passenger in the neck with a fork during an international flight to Sydney because of a dispute over seating, police believe.
The mid-air drama onboard a Thai Airways International flight - the latest in a spate of aviation security scares - apparently came after the alleged attacker wrongly thought someone had taken his seat.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) took a 22-year-old man, from Moore Park in Sydney's east, into custody after the flight from Bangkok touched down at Sydney International Airport about 6.30am (AEST) today.
However, late today an AFP spokeswoman said it was expected to be some time, even weeks, before authorities could interview the man at length.
He had been taken to a Sydney mental health facility for psychiatric assessment, she said.
An AFP spokesman said the victim on flight TG991 was a 50-year-old Thai-born Australian resident, from Casula in Sydney's south.
Thai Airways International spokeswoman Sue Marr said the weapon used was a stainless steel fork handed out to passengers along with plastic knives during dinner.
"According to the cabin report, shortly after dinner two male passengers were involved in an argument which ended up with one of the passengers being slightly injured," Ms Marr said.
The attack happened about two hours into the nine-hour flight, Ms Marr said, adding the attacker had quickly been restrained by crew and two passengers.
A couple, one of whom was a nurse, helped tend to the injured man after the attacker was subdued and restrained at the back of the aircraft.
A Prince of Wales Hospital spokeswoman said the injured man had been treated and released from hospital by about noon today.
None of the other 360 passengers, or the 21 crew, was injured.
The pilot of the Boeing 747-400 had immediately reported the incident to authorities in Sydney and ambulance crews were on standby for the plane's arrival.
The incident was the latest in a spate of a security breaches and aviation scares to strike Australia this year.
In late May a man armed with sharpened wooden stakes allegedly stabbed two Qantas staff aboard a Melbourne to Launceston flight.
Other incidents include the arrest of a man claiming to be armed with a gun, and others accused of carrying box cutters, stanley knives or threatening violence while onboard flights.
Air stabbing over seating plan
By Janine O'Neill
16jul03
A MAN stabbed a fellow passenger in the neck with a fork during an international flight to Sydney because of a dispute over seating, police believe.
The mid-air drama onboard a Thai Airways International flight - the latest in a spate of aviation security scares - apparently came after the alleged attacker wrongly thought someone had taken his seat.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) took a 22-year-old man, from Moore Park in Sydney's east, into custody after the flight from Bangkok touched down at Sydney International Airport about 6.30am (AEST) today.
However, late today an AFP spokeswoman said it was expected to be some time, even weeks, before authorities could interview the man at length.
He had been taken to a Sydney mental health facility for psychiatric assessment, she said.
An AFP spokesman said the victim on flight TG991 was a 50-year-old Thai-born Australian resident, from Casula in Sydney's south.
Thai Airways International spokeswoman Sue Marr said the weapon used was a stainless steel fork handed out to passengers along with plastic knives during dinner.
"According to the cabin report, shortly after dinner two male passengers were involved in an argument which ended up with one of the passengers being slightly injured," Ms Marr said.
The attack happened about two hours into the nine-hour flight, Ms Marr said, adding the attacker had quickly been restrained by crew and two passengers.
A couple, one of whom was a nurse, helped tend to the injured man after the attacker was subdued and restrained at the back of the aircraft.
A Prince of Wales Hospital spokeswoman said the injured man had been treated and released from hospital by about noon today.
None of the other 360 passengers, or the 21 crew, was injured.
The pilot of the Boeing 747-400 had immediately reported the incident to authorities in Sydney and ambulance crews were on standby for the plane's arrival.
The incident was the latest in a spate of a security breaches and aviation scares to strike Australia this year.
In late May a man armed with sharpened wooden stakes allegedly stabbed two Qantas staff aboard a Melbourne to Launceston flight.
Other incidents include the arrest of a man claiming to be armed with a gun, and others accused of carrying box cutters, stanley knives or threatening violence while onboard flights.
