Man arrested over bomb hoax at Sydney Airport

Alsharq Tribune-AFP 

A man has been charged over an alleged bomb hoax on board a flight from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur, Australian authorities said on Tuesday.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) reported that a 44-year-old man from Montenegro was arrested at Sydney Airport on Sunday after officers received information about an alleged bomb threat made on a Turkish Airlines flight.

Authorities allege the man claimed to have a bomb after a crew member questioned him about electrical equipment while the plane was preparing for take-off.

The captain was notified of the incident, and the aircraft returned to the gate, where police boarded the plane and removed the man.

He was subsequently charged with one count of threatening aviation security, which carries a maximum penalty of a 10,500-Australian-dollar (about 7,346 U.S. dollars) fine.

The captain told police that the device appeared to be a wireless phone charger.

AFP Detective Superintendent Davina Copelin said that hoaxes can cause significant disruptions, trigger emergency responses and divert resources away from serious threats.