Malaysia Airlines Passenger Arrested After Flight Forced to Return to Sydney Due to ‘Emergency Incident'

The police arrested a Malaysia Airlines passenger after allegedly disrupting a flight from Australia to Kuala Lumpur.

The "emergency incident" forced the plane to make a U-turn mid-flight at the Sydney International Airport on Monday, August 14.

Malaysia Airlines Passenger Arrested After Flight Forced to Return to Sydney

(Photo : MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images)
A ground staff member looks at the Malaysia Airlines aircraft Boeing 738 flight after it landed in Langkawi from Kuala Lumpur International Airport on September 16, 2021, as the holiday island reopened to domestic tourists following closures due to restrictions to halt the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.

A Malaysia Airlines flight from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur was forced to make a nail-biting U-turn mid-air after a passenger's alleged "emergency incident" on board. As per CNN Travel, flight MH122 was thrown into chaos as a man reportedly threatened fellow passengers and cabin crew, prompting the aircraft's sudden change of course.

The airline's carefully choreographed flight plan was abruptly interrupted, creating a gripping saga that left everyone on board on edge. The situation escalated to such an extent that it prompted an urgent response from authorities, resulting in the passenger's subsequent arrest upon landing in Sydney.

The authorities arrested a 45-year-old Malaysian Airlines passenger after the alleged "emergency incident." Officials only gave a few details about the passenger's alleged outburst, forcing the flight to return.

According to Nine News Australia, the Federal Police says the passenger claimed he brought explosives to the flight, threatening passengers and crew that he would "blow the plane up." The police say they charged the Canderra resident with one count of making a false statement that threatened to damage a division three aircraft. He is also a single-count of a passenger not complying with cabin crew's safety instructions.

Plane Lands Back Safely in Sydney

(Photo : MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images)
TOPSHOT - A water salute welcomes Malaysia Airlines aircraft Boeing 738 after its landing in Langkawi from Kuala Lumpur International Airport on September 16, 2021, as the holiday island reopened to domestic tourists following closures due to restrictions to halt the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.

While the flight got disrupted and the peace of the journey shattered, the timely response from the airline and the authorities helped ensure a swift resolution to this mid-air crisis.

The MH122 left Syndey International Airport at 1:40 pm local time on Monday. Malaysia Airlines says the flight carries roughly 200 passengers, including 123 crew. After making a U-turn due to the "emergency incident," the plane returned safely to the runway at around 3:47 pm.

Despite the passenger's alleged claim, the in-flight crew confirmed that the passenger's backpack contained no explosives. It is worth noting that the incident caused significant disruption to flights at Sydney Airport. Dozens of domestic flights were canceled or delayed.

Fox News Online reports that the incident disturbed other passengers in the Sydney Airport as 32 domestic flights ended up being canceled. Not to mention that other flights grappled with delays of up to 90 minutes. However, the international flights in Syndey were left untouched by the false alarm.

The man's identity has not been released. He is scheduled to appear in court later this week.