Two Men Arrested After Gun Threat on Melbourne-Doha Flight
Two male passengers were restrained with cable ties and later arrested after allegedly threatening crew and claiming to have a gun aboard a 14-hour Qatar Airways flight.
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Two male passengers were restrained with cable ties aboard a Virgin Australia flight from Melbourne to Doha after allegedly making threats, claiming to have a gun, and assaulting flight crew on Friday.
The incident unfolded on Qatar Airways flight VA7, which departed Melbourne bound for Doha. Witnesses said the men appeared agitated shortly after boarding, repeatedly getting in and out of their seats, moving through the cabin and rummaging through their luggage.
A passenger told Australian outlets that the men seemed "extremely agitated and restless" from the moment they boarded, with passengers repeatedly entering her personal space and touching or moving her belongings. One witness asked that alcohol service to the men be stopped because of their behavior.
The Escalation
The situation reportedly escalated about six hours before landing on the 14-hour flight, when the men allegedly began fighting and threatening passengers and crew members. According to passenger accounts, the men were allegedly spitting, kicking, and headbutting flight attendants. Witnesses described needing at least six people to restrain each man.
One woman whose 63-year-old mother was seated next to the suspects described the ordeal as "terrifying and disgraceful." She said her mother was texting updates from the plane's Wi-Fi as the situation escalated.
Queensland radio host Jacqui Felgate said one passenger told her they helped "get the cable ties on" one of the men. Felgate praised the passengers and crew, saying they showed "enormous courage in helping the crew and protecting other passengers."
The Response
Qatar Airways confirmed two male passengers were involved in a physical altercation on board and that both were restrained, with safety and wellbeing of crew and passengers being the airline's highest priority.
Fellow travelers and crew members subdued them with cable ties, and video shared from the cabin showed passengers applauding as officials came aboard upon arrival in Doha.
Authorities arrested two men when the plane landed in Doha, Qatar, and both were handed over to local authorities for further investigation. No additional charges or identities have been released by Qatari authorities at this time.