Police arrested a man after he allegedly threatened to detonate a bomb on a Johannesburg-bound Air Botswana flight on Monday evening.
”He apparently banged on the cockpit door and demanded that it be opened and threatened to bomb the plane,” said spokesperson Senior Superintendent Vish Naidoo.
The man was arrested after the flight touched down at the OR Tambo International Airport shortly after 6pm.
The landing area was secured while the plane was still in the air.
The alleged hijacker saw that policemen had surrounded the aircraft and requested that an officer come on board. A police officer then overpowered and arrested the alleged hijacker.
”Our investigation has shown there was no real threat. No bomb was found, but the passengers were highly traumatised and had to be debriefed,” said Naidoo.
The man would face charges of attempted hijacking and unlawful interference with a plane and its crew. Naidoo would not divulge any of the man’s personal details, including his nationality. He is expected to appear in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s
Court on Thursday.
There were about 20 people on board the flight, said Naidoo. – Sapa