Update: A drunk passenger caused the closure of Bali's airport and sparked a full-scale security alert when he attempted to enter the cockpit of a Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane to Denpasar, prompting the pilot to report a hijacking attempt.
Virgin Australia airport manager at Ngurah Rai, Heru Sudjatmiko said a drunk passenger on board flight VA41 had tried to enter the cockpit of the plane but had been stopped by the crew.
The man was handcuffed and put into a rear seat of the Boeing 737-800, which landed safely.
Members of the Indonesian military stands guard near a Virgin Australia airplane, which was forced to land at International Ngurah Rai Airport after the pilot sent a distress signal near Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.Photo by Agung Parameswara/Getty Images Photo: Agung Parameswara
"The Department can confirm the arrest of a Queensland man following an incident on board a Virgin Airline flight to Denpasar. The Australian Consulate will provide consular assistance as required," a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.
Fairfax Media has learned the drunk or drug-affected man banged on the cockpit door, trying to gain access and alarming the pilots.
Ngurah Rai airport was closed temporarily after Indonesian authorities interpreted the incident on flight VA41 as a hijacking.
This Instagram image reportedly shows the Virgin Blue passenger jet after it was forced to land in Bali.
But Virgin quickly scotched that speculation.
"It was a hundred per cent not a hijacking," a spokesman for the airline said.
Bali Air Force Commander Colonel Sugiharto, said the perpetrator was an Australian passenger named Matt Christopher Lockley, 28.
Indonesian air force soldiers hold their weapons as they guard near a Virgin Australia airplane at Denpasar airport in the resort island of Bali. Photo: Reuters Photo: STRINGER/INDONESIA
Police chief Suhardi Alius said the man was in custody and being interrogated.
Earlier, the Indonesian military confirmed it was responding to reports of a hijacking.
Mr Heru said this was "clearly a miscommunication". The pilot himself had told air traffic control that the plane was hijacked, and sent a distress call.
A Virgin Australia plane sits on the runway in Bali after a drunk passenger tried to break into the cockpit. Photo: Chris Corless
"I don't know why that happened," Mr Heru said.
Perth man Chris Corless was at Denpasar's airport when the incident occurred.
"My wife and I were waiting for our flight and just noticed planes weren't departing," Mr Corless said.
Australian Matt Christopher, a passenger of Virgin Blue Australia Airplane, who is believed to have tried to enter the cockpit, is arrested by Indonesian millitary officers at International Ngurah Rai airport in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. Photo by Agung Parameswara/Getty Images Photo: Agung Parameswara
"Then the Virgin flight landed and was escorted immediately to the tarmac opposite the terminal.
"Security surrounded the plane and then there was some movement then security left and the plane taxied to a normal gate. All said and done in 30 minutes.
"Sounds like it wasn't serious, security didn't take long to clear the situation."
A photo of Matt Christopher Lockley taken by an Indonesian official, after he allegedly caused a hijacking scare on a flight bound for Bali. Photo: Amilia Rosa
- Michael Bachelard, Saffron Howden, Matt O'Sullivan and Chris Hingston
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/virgin-australia-passenger-sparks-bali-hijacking-scare-20140425-zqzn0.html#ixzz2ztplop2u
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