Australian Federal Police meet 'hijack scare' man at Brisbane Airport

We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.

Advertisement

This was published 9 years ago

Australian Federal Police meet 'hijack scare' man at Brisbane Airport

Updated

The man who sparked a hijack scare while on a Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane to Bali has returned home but avoided the media upon his arrival at Brisbane Airport.

Australian Federal Police officers were due to greet Gold Coast man Matt Lockley when he disembarked from a Virgin Australia flight at Brisbane Airport late Monday evening.

Matt Lockley at the departure gate in Denpasar on Monday afternoon

Matt Lockley at the departure gate in Denpasar on Monday afternoon

The 28-year-old plumber's Indonesian ordeal began on Friday, where he claimed an on-board incident was a misunderstanding when he mistook the cockpit door for a toilet door.

After arriving in Denpasar, Mr Lockley was arrested and detained in a Bali police hospital, however Indonesian authorities released him after he told them an in-flight panic attack prompted him to bang on the cockpit door.

On his way home: Matt Christopher Lockley, who triggered a recent hijack on a Virgin Australia flight, leaves police headquarters in Denpasar.

On his way home: Matt Christopher Lockley, who triggered a recent hijack on a Virgin Australia flight, leaves police headquarters in Denpasar.Credit: Reuters

As he prepared to leave the Indonesian airport on Monday afternoon, Mr Lockley looked calm and said nothing as he was hustled past journalists by a group of perhaps 10 officials, including representatives of the Indonesian immigration department, the airport authority, airport management and the Australian consulate.

He was taken straight to the departure gate suggesting the the pre-flight formalities had already been dealt with before he arrived at the airport.

When journalists tried to follow him inside, the security guards from the departure gate also joined the crowd surrounding him.

Mr Lockley was wearing a light blue t-shirt, khaki shorts, sandals and sunglasses.

Advertisement
The incident: Matt Lockley is arrested after sparking a hijacking alert.

The incident: Matt Lockley is arrested after sparking a hijacking alert.Credit: AFP

The AFP has assumed responsibility for the investigation because the flight originated in Australia.

A spokesman said officers would speak with the Gold Coast man following his arrival in Brisbane but said it was too early to say if charges would be laid.

‘‘AFP Brisbane Airport members will meet with Mr Lockley upon his arrival to make initial enquiries,’’ he said.

‘‘The AFP is investigating what, if any, offences may have occurred during a flight from Brisbane to Bali on April 25, 2014.

‘‘Following evaluation of available evidence, the AFP will be in a position to determine what further action may be taken.’’

On Sunday, Mr Lockley told reporters in Bali the incident was a misunderstanding.

“I had a panic attack and I just wanted to use the toilet and I made an accident [sic] by knocking on the cockpit door,” he said.

The plumber insisted he was not drunk, but said he had taken some Panadol and anti-inflammatory drugs, and had two drinks of Coke at Brisbane Airport before boarding the flight.

Mr Lockley said he travelled to Bali to search for his Indonesian wife.

She is believed to have been with him in Australia three weeks ago before returning to Indonesia, and has subsequently lost contact with her husband.

Mr Lockley was planning to go Bandung, in West Java, to search for her there if he could not find her in Bali.

Mr Lockley was due to depart Bali’s Denpasar Airport at 3.55pm Indonesian time, with his flight scheduled to arrive in Brisbane at 11.40pm.

A Virgin Australia spokeswoman said the crew and pilots had been interviewed as part of an internal investigation into the incident and the company was satisfied staff had acted in the best interests of passenger safety.

‘‘The captain and crew ensured the highest level of safety was maintained on flight VA41 and followed standard operating procedures,’’ the airline said in a statement.

‘‘The captain was then in regular communication with Air Traffic Control in line with correct protocols to keep them informed of the status of the disturbance prior to landing.’’

However, the company refused to explain publicly why the pilot, Neil Cooper, activated a hijack alert in response to Mr Lockley’s behaviour.

VIrgin Australia confirmed that the pilot or copilot of the flight activated a 7500 alert code – which, in international aviation terms, signifies a hijack – but did not deactivate the alert during the remaining 45 minutes in the air when it became clear it was not a hijack situation.

The alert triggered a full military response at Bali airport, shutting it down for almost an hour at its busiest time on Friday afternoon.

- Kim Stephens in Brisbane and Michael Bachelard in Indonesia

Most Viewed in Lifestyle

Loading