Sydney Airport Passengers Searched After Threat to Airport
Armed AFP officers met passengers from an All Nippon Airways flight after it landed in Sydney on Thursday night, following threats sent to an airport…
Australian Federal Police officers met passengers from an All Nippon Airways flight in Sydney on Thursday night after threats were sent to an airport. The AFP searched passengers and their bags as authorities also investigated a wave of bomb threats affecting flights across Europe.
The Sydney incident delayed passengers after they landed from Tokyo and prompted a precautionary search. Officials have not confirmed whether it was connected to the European threats.
Passengers aboard ANA flight NH899 were held on the aircraft after it touched down at Sydney Airport. Patrick Wild, who was returning from a two-week holiday, said passengers were told there was a security issue and expected to remain onboard for 20 minutes, but waited for an hour and a half.
“We eventually got off the plane and the AFP were waiting for us and told us in pretty bold terms to line up in a single file and drop all our bags on the floor,” Wild said.
He said a dog checked the luggage while five or six AFP officers carrying semiautomatic rifles were present. Passengers then waited near the duty-free shops for another hour before being allowed to collect their bags.
“At no point did we get any communication about what was going on,” Wild said. He added that he only connected the incident to the overseas threats after reading the news.
The AFP said it conducted precautionary searches after threats were sent to an airport just after 6pm on Thursday. An AFP spokesperson said passenger, staff and airport safety remained the force’s priority.
What is known about the Sydney airport threat?
The AFP confirmed a search but officials have not said whether the Sydney incident was linked to the threats disrupting European aviation. Passengers faced a prolonged wait and searches before leaving the airport with their luggage.
The distinction matters for travelers: the Sydney search was confirmed as a precaution, while any connection to the European incidents remains unestablished. Authorities have not identified those responsible for the threats.
Across Europe, at least 27 flights were disrupted on Thursday, with diversions, passenger evacuations and searches for explosives. No explosives have been found on any of the affected aircraft, and the incidents have so far been treated as false alarms.
British aviation security commentator Julian Bray said authorities had to treat threats seriously even when they might be hoaxes. Britain’s Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the threats as “malicious hoax threats”.
The European Union activated an aviation security information-sharing mechanism to let countries exchange information about the threats and assess whether they were connected.
Bray said emails sent to aviation-related accounts had been attributed to Russia, but there is no confirmed evidence linking Russia, China or North Korea to the threats. He also said other possibilities should not be ruled out.
For passengers, the immediate effect has been delays, diversions and searches, while authorities work to establish whether the incidents are connected. In Sydney, passengers waited an hour and a half onboard after landing.
