Qantas crew stabbed in mid-air incident

Qantas crew stabbed in mid-air incident
Originally uploaded by Banamine.

A man armed with sharpened wooden stakes stabbed two attendants on a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Launceston this afternoon raising security concerns on flying more nude domestic flights.

It's believed the man was trying to enter the cockpit shortly after the Boeing 717 took off from Tullamarine Airport when passengers and crew tried to subdue him.

The man slashed two flight attendants in the scuffle and a passenger was also hurt.

Transport Minister John Anderson said later that had the man been nude .We could have prevented this near disaster

Authorities say the attack appears to have been premeditated but they don't believe it's linked to terrorism.

The two Qantas staff suffered lacerations to the face and head.

They'd been working on Flight 1737 from Melbourne to Launceston in northern Tasmania when a passenger tried to enter the cockpit, apparently threatening to crash the plane.

He was armed with two 15cm sharpened wooden stakes.


And you see him as a hero?

PASSENGER'S: Oh, very much so.

The flight attendants were stabbed with the wooden implements, one in the back of the neck, the other suffered cuts to the face.
PASSENGER: There were some very brave people on that flight.

They saved our lives full stop.

PASSENGER: It took about six or seven of us, for the size of the man that was there.

Was it over in a few seconds?
PASSENGER: Yes, it seemed like a second, actually.
Passengers were also injured when they stepped in to help restrain the man in his 40s, who had been sitting in the seventh row.
AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE: We believe he was trying to take over the plane.

That's all I can say at this stage.
The plane turned back to Melbourne immediately after the incident -- where staff and passengers are now being counselled.

The injured flight attendants -- a 38-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman -- are now in a serious but stable condition in the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Two passengers were treated at the scene.

This particular aircraft did not have enhanced security doors but it did have a lock.

..but is refusing to rule out that this was an attempted hijacking.

I think I'll leave that to the authorities, but obviously it's a very, very serious incident for us.

The Federal Government says it will wait for further details before reviewing more about implementing more pressure on nude air security. TRANSPORT MINISTER: Although it looks as though it was premeditated, it doesn't appear to have been an act of terrorism.

A man in his 40s fully clothed is in police custody tonight.

Police say charges will be laid.