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Bomb scare on plane forces emergency landing in Shannon

  • 13-01-2010 02:08PM
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭


    A man was arrested by Gardai after a charter plane heading for the Dutch Antilles was forced to make an emergency landing at Shannon airport this morning.

    The Boeing 767 carrying 231 passengers and 11 crew was flying from Amsterdam to Aruba when a passenger began making threats and acting unruly.

    The 44-year-old Dutch national, who was traveling alone, claimed there was a bomb on board the aircraft. A full search is under way of the aircraft.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8456723.stm


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,221 ✭✭✭BrianD


    A man was arrested by Gardai after a charter plane heading for the Dutch Antilles was forced to make an emergency landing at Shannon airport this morning.

    The Boeing 767 carrying 231 passengers and 11 crew was flying from Amsterdam to Aruba when a passenger began making threats and acting unruly.

    The 44-year-old Dutch national, who was traveling alone, claimed there was a bomb on board the aircraft. A full search is under way of the aircraft.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8456723.stm

    Interesting that the Gardai have quarantined the aircraft until it's original flight time has expired and they will be searching it.

    One wonders is this the new ruse from airlines when dealing with passengers. If one of you gives trouble then all of you stay behind.

    Of course, much of this behaviour is alcohol induced where passengers feel obliged to consume large amounts of alcohol for no good reason. Perhaps airlines should stop selling alcohol on board?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    BrianD wrote: »
    Of course, much of this behaviour is alcohol induced where passengers feel obliged to consume large amounts of alcohol for no good reason. Perhaps airlines should stop selling alcohol on board?

    That will be the next thing, ban on alcohol on board and breathalysers at check in.

    The Air corps will also have to invest in some fighter jets so that they can escort any aircraft carrying troublesome passengers back to the nearest airport. :rolleyes:

    http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/01/06/oregon.unruly.passenger/


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 79 ✭✭Base


    Interesting that the Gardai have quarantined the aircraft until it's original flight time has expired and they will be searching it.

    One wonders is this the new ruse from airlines when dealing with passengers. If one of you gives trouble then all of you stay behind.

    This is common enough procedure to ensure that if there is a bomb, it doesn't go off in mid-air! I'm pretty sure all airlines would be happy to get their aircraft moving again asap!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,348 ✭✭✭vulcan57


    BrianD wrote: »

    One wonders is this the new ruse from airlines when dealing with passengers. If one of you gives trouble then all of you stay behind.

    I for one wouldn't mind that if it meant that I would be flying at 30,000 feet safely!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,513 ✭✭✭Sleipnir


    The Air corps will also have to invest in some fighter jets so that they can escort any aircraft carrying troublesome passengers back to the nearest airport. :rolleyes:

    http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/01/06/oregon.unruly.passenger/

    What would "escorting" achieve, exactly? Presumably the pilot wouldn't suddenly side with the guy in question and decide to fly their plane into a city. Therefore, he would likely not need to be escorted by fighters.
    Unless you plan on them shooting down a plane full of innocents?
    Fighter jets can't do a whole lot about one drunken Dutch dude carrying-on like a fool on a plane.

    If booze on aircraft is the problem (and it usually is), no booze on aircraft is the solution.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,513 ✭✭✭Sleipnir


    Base wrote: »
    This is common enough procedure to ensure that if there is a bomb, it doesn't go off in mid-air! I'm pretty sure all airlines would be happy to get their aircraft moving again asap!

    Exactly. An aeroplane on the ground is not making the airline any money.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,480 ✭✭✭highlydebased


    PH-AHY took the passengers from Shannon to Aruba. (It departed at 1530z)

    PH-AHQ is the efffected aircraft- it is flightplanned to depart again to EHAM at 2100 but obviously this might be delayed.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    Sleipnir wrote: »
    What would "escorting" achieve, exactly?

    I think it is all about show, the passengers feel more assured when they see two fighters flying each side of the cabin. It also looks the part on tabloid news media channels.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,485 ✭✭✭Mr. K


    Sleipnir wrote: »
    What would "escorting" achieve, exactly? Presumably the pilot wouldn't suddenly side with the guy in question and decide to fly their plane into a city. Therefore, he would likely not need to be escorted by fighters.
    Unless you plan on them shooting down a plane full of innocents?
    Fighter jets can't do a whole lot about one drunken Dutch dude carrying-on like a fool on a plane.

    I imagine they're just following procedure, on the off-chance that the threat turns out to be real and the plane could cause serious damage.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,513 ✭✭✭Sleipnir


    I think it is all about show, the passengers feel more assured when they see two fighters flying each side of the cabin. It also looks the part on tabloid news media channels.

    I bloody wouldn't feel reassured. I'd be wondering what the pilots could do with those missiles to control the unruly passenger. I'd be hoping they didn't decide to blow me up with it.

    Looks the part? Having an air force because it "looks the part"?
    A sort of Gucci handbag for countries? Maybe we could accessorize with a few nukes and show them off on a TV3 morning show. Bloody nonsense.
    We can't afford to grit our roads properly but spend billions on an airforce because it "looks the part"?

    Let's also consider for a moment that a passenger on a plane has a bomb. His intention is to blow up the aeroplane.
    Now, if his intention is to also crash the aeroplane into a city, why is he carrying a bomb too? An explosion within an explosion?

    "I have a bomb and if you don't fly this aeroplane into a city, I'll blow it up!":D

    Bloody nonsense.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,221 ✭✭✭BrianD


    I think it is all about show, the passengers feel more assured when they see two fighters flying each side of the cabin. It also looks the part on tabloid news media channels.

    That would depend on the Sky News helicopter being able to keep up! :D Perhaps we could give them a jet as well so they can get the footage.

    9/11 has pretty much proved that having a large airforce available was unable to counter terrorist attacks using civilian airliners and that still stands. We're better off not wasting the money on a token few aircraft.

    At this stage security officials should be able to distinguish between a drunken tourist and a real threat. By and large the real threats remain "under the radar". So much so that they have been given visas in advance.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 812 ✭✭✭Dacian


    BrianD wrote: »
    Interesting that the Gardai have quarantined the aircraft until it's original flight time has expired and they will be searching it.

    One wonders is this the new ruse from airlines when dealing with passengers. If one of you gives trouble then all of you stay behind.
    They keep the aircraft quarantined,not as a punishment to passengers,but as a protection the any bomb disposal guys. The bomber knows the flight duration so 'presumably' the bomb was set to go off in mid air (Pre 9/11 this was the main MO of airline bombs) This way the bomb team aren't ON the aircraft when it goes off. Standard procedure for dealing with an unknown bomb threat.
    Sleipnir wrote: »
    I bloody wouldn't feel reassured........
    We can't afford to grit our roads properly but spend billions on an airforce because it "looks the part"?
    Bloody nonsense.
    Lets calm down a bit. Run_to_da_hills suggested investing in intercepters as a jest. As you may or may not know, we are quite a way from spending "billions on an airforce because it looks the part" The Air Corps has, (I think) 8-9 PC-9s,which are training aircraft for many other Air Forces,couple of coastal patrol aircraft,some transport aircraft plus helicopters for troop transport/resue! Hardly an Air FORCE!
    BrianD wrote: »
    9/11 has pretty much proved that having a large airforce available was unable to counter terrorist attacks using civilian airliners and that still stands. We're better off not wasting the money on a token few aircraft.
    Hear hear


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    He'd want to have been seriously going to town on the drinks on board to have got that plastered between Schipol and Shannon. I can't see that drinks on boards would have been the issue here as he must have been well oiled before getting on.


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