Bomb threat halts Jetstar flight – what happened?
- Replies 2
A recent Jetstar flight has been making headlines all over the internet, and it serves as a sharp reminder that safety can never be taken for granted when we fly.
On Saturday morning, a Jetstar aircraft was travelling from Narita airport near Tokyo to Fukuoka when it suddenly diverted to the Chubu Airport in Aichi prefecture.
The reason? An anonymous bomb threat.
The 149 passengers on board the aircraft evacuated their plane via emergency slides, but unfortunately, not all of them escaped unhurt.
At least five passengers suffered minor injuries as they left the aircraft, and some of them took to social media to share photos of the Airbus A320 on the tarmac with its emergency landing chutes deployed.
The passengers who were able to get off the plane had to be served and taken care of while they waited in the lobby, as the incident was said to have caused them a lot of stress.
A Jetstar Japan spokesperson told a news source that the plane had to make a forced landing due to 'a potential security incident' and that authorities are still looking into the cause of the incident.
'We know this has been distressing for passengers, and we thank them for their cooperation,' said the spokesperson.
'Our teams are supporting them and working on getting them on their way as quickly as possible. Jetstar Japan is also working closely with Chubu Airport and local authorities to investigate the situation.'
According to local reports, the anonymous caller had told Narita Airport staff, who he spoke to in English, that he had planted 100 kilograms of plastic explosives inside the aircraft's cargo hold and that he would set it off unless he was allowed to speak to the 'manager'.
Luckily, no explosives were found on the plane, and flight operations at Chubu Airport resumed after the four-hour investigation was complete.
Bomb threats on airline flights have become increasingly common in recent years. While rarely resulting in explosive devices being found, they always require emergency response teams to respond swiftly and evacuate the aircraft in question.
The most frequently targeted airports or flights are those carrying large numbers of international travellers.
This indicates that the threats may come from individuals or groups looking to make a political statement or seeking to disrupt air travel. In some cases, those making the threats may have a financial motivation or even an extortion attempt in mind.
Luckily, the trends of bomb threats show that most of these threats are non-credible, with no explosive devices actually being found when the aircraft is searched.
However, this does not change the fact that each threat has to be taken seriously, as the consequences of ignoring a 'real' one are too great.
By studying the trends of these threats and gathering data on them, it is possible to come up with better strategies to prevent them in the future.
This includes utilising advanced security measures such as metal detectors and increased surveillance, as well as implementing better communication and collaboration between authorities across multiple countries.
While this is undoubtedly a scary experience, it's important to take a moment to thank the Jetstar staff and airport authorities for their quick response. Everyone remained safe and got to their destinations eventually, and that's the outcome that matters most.
What are your thoughts, members? Have you ever had a security scare while travelling? And what tips do you have for staying safe while flying? We'd love to hear your stories and advice in the comments below!
On Saturday morning, a Jetstar aircraft was travelling from Narita airport near Tokyo to Fukuoka when it suddenly diverted to the Chubu Airport in Aichi prefecture.
The reason? An anonymous bomb threat.
The 149 passengers on board the aircraft evacuated their plane via emergency slides, but unfortunately, not all of them escaped unhurt.
At least five passengers suffered minor injuries as they left the aircraft, and some of them took to social media to share photos of the Airbus A320 on the tarmac with its emergency landing chutes deployed.
A Jetstar flight was forced into an emergency landing after receiving a bomb threat. Credit: Twitter/dayamatayu.
The passengers who were able to get off the plane had to be served and taken care of while they waited in the lobby, as the incident was said to have caused them a lot of stress.
A Jetstar Japan spokesperson told a news source that the plane had to make a forced landing due to 'a potential security incident' and that authorities are still looking into the cause of the incident.
'We know this has been distressing for passengers, and we thank them for their cooperation,' said the spokesperson.
'Our teams are supporting them and working on getting them on their way as quickly as possible. Jetstar Japan is also working closely with Chubu Airport and local authorities to investigate the situation.'
According to local reports, the anonymous caller had told Narita Airport staff, who he spoke to in English, that he had planted 100 kilograms of plastic explosives inside the aircraft's cargo hold and that he would set it off unless he was allowed to speak to the 'manager'.
Luckily, no explosives were found on the plane, and flight operations at Chubu Airport resumed after the four-hour investigation was complete.
Bomb threats on airline flights have become increasingly common in recent years. While rarely resulting in explosive devices being found, they always require emergency response teams to respond swiftly and evacuate the aircraft in question.
The most frequently targeted airports or flights are those carrying large numbers of international travellers.
This indicates that the threats may come from individuals or groups looking to make a political statement or seeking to disrupt air travel. In some cases, those making the threats may have a financial motivation or even an extortion attempt in mind.
Luckily, the trends of bomb threats show that most of these threats are non-credible, with no explosive devices actually being found when the aircraft is searched.
By studying the trends of these threats and gathering data on them, it is possible to come up with better strategies to prevent them in the future.
This includes utilising advanced security measures such as metal detectors and increased surveillance, as well as implementing better communication and collaboration between authorities across multiple countries.
While this is undoubtedly a scary experience, it's important to take a moment to thank the Jetstar staff and airport authorities for their quick response. Everyone remained safe and got to their destinations eventually, and that's the outcome that matters most.
What are your thoughts, members? Have you ever had a security scare while travelling? And what tips do you have for staying safe while flying? We'd love to hear your stories and advice in the comments below!
.png){kind=icon}
