Flight from Australia diverted, passenger arrested over allegedly assaulting crew member

A New Zealand man was removed from an international flight with his hands bound by cable ties after allegedly assaulting a crew member. The man was reportedly drunk and disorderly on a flight from Perth to Auckland, prompting a call to the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

The 23-year-old man allegedly assaulted a crew member and refused to comply with their instructions. As a result, the flight was diverted to Melbourne Airport, where the Australian Federal Police boarded and removed the man. It has been reported that the assaulted crew member sustained only minor injuries.

The man is charged with one count of assaulting a crew member and interfering with their duties, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment. Australian Federal Police Superintendent Stephen Cook stated that the incident caused a flight delay. “Any violence or anti-social behavior in the confined space of an aircraft is distressing for other passengers and crew. At a minimum, in this case, it disrupted everyone’s travel plans,” he said.

Superintendent Cook also emphasized that “anti-social behavior during flights can pose a direct threat to the safety of the aircraft, and this is something that airlines and the Australian Federal Police take very seriously.” The New Zealand man is expected to appear in Broadmeadows Magistrates Court today.