Reports of bomb threat on MK943

[whatmeworry]

Is this the most ridiculous bomb threat ever? This reminds me of the scene in Caddy Shack when they panic about a turd in the pool and they drain the pool and Bill Murray's character grabs the alleged turd to discover it's a picnic like candy bar and takes a bite!

 

[mannej]

Is this the most ridiculous bomb threat ever? This reminds me of the scene in Caddy Shack when they panic about a turd in the pool and they drain the pool and Bill Murray's character grabs the alleged turd to discover it's a picnic like candy bar and takes a bite!

Better safe than sorry. PAL 434 springs to mind where the bomber used a bottle of Contact Lens Fluid (or similar) as part of the bomb.

Saying that you now have me feeling peckish for a PollyWaffle!

 

[Mal]

Better safe than sorry. PAL 434 springs to mind where the bomber used a bottle of Contact Lens Fluid (or similar) as part of the bomb.

Saying that you now have me feeling peckish for a PollyWaffle!

Really? Spend $20000+ on emergency services resources, hotels, and other expenses... Just because someone jumps at shadows? Ridiculous.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[mannej]

Really? Spend $20000+ on emergency services resources, hotels, and other expenses... Just because someone jumps at shadows? Ridiculous.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

I agree yesterday may have been excessive. I don't imagine it was a decision made lightly though.

 

[docjames]

I agree yesterday may have been excessive. I don't imagine it was a decision made lightly though.

The alternative would be slightly more expensive than $20k.

 

[Mal]

I agree yesterday may have been excessive. I don't imagine it was a decision made lightly though.

There seems to have been no risk assessment made. Just panic and over reaction. If this is how Australia deals with threats, heaven help us all.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[Happy Trails]

The alternative would be slightly more expensive than $20k.

The alternative was chucking it in the bin and forgetting about it.
They might even have made a few cents from recycling.

 

[Mal]

And now, NoNews are reporting that the can DID have a threat written on it:

A new police statement, however, said this evening that investigators had reached another interpretation of the suspicious little can.
"The can has today undergone further forensic examinations and it has been confirmed that the word bomb was written on the can," it said.

How incompetent are the Police? What a waste of money...

 

[docjames]

The alternative was chucking it in the bin and forgetting about it.
They might even have made a few cents from recycling.

The alternative was to lose 200 lives and/or a $200m airframe.

Easy to make the "it's just a can" call after the event.

 

[TheInsider]

QF still managed to make it into the article (well visually atleast...)
Emergency crews race to Melbourne Airport after bomb threat on Air Mauritius flight | News.com.au

Well it is Q-Catering and Qantas staff that are the contractor for this airline.

 

[Happy Trails]

The alternative was to lose 200 lives and/or a $200m airframe.

Easy to make the "it's just a can" call after the event.

Admittedly I don't have all the facts; but from everything I've read there was no 'event', just a can with something that might, or might not have, something resembling 'bomb' (and not necessarily in English script) written or printed on it.
You may choose to be terrorised by such things, I'll reserve my fear for more real and present dangers.
And to repeat, if it was truly suspected to be a viable bomb, why keep the passengers on board for 45 minutes after landing?

 

[JessicaTam]

And to repeat, if it was truly suspected to be a viable bomb, why keep the passengers on board for 45 minutes after landing?

i believe that the AFP were eliminating the passengers as suspects with some sort of "screening" before they would allow them them off. It was mentioned on one of the news reports and I don't know what the screening actually involved.


Sent from my iThing.
Why, because iCan.

 

[docjames]

Admittedly I don't have all the facts; but from everything I've read there was no 'event', just a can with something that might, or might not have, something resembling 'bomb' (and not necessarily in English script) written or printed on it.

So next time a crew are unsure, you're happy for them to fly out over the indian ocean and "take the risk" it's just a can? Hope I'm not on that flight. Note you're also reading after the event, so you know there was nothing in the can - but the crew werent to know that at the time.

Presumably there'll be an ATSB or similar report (?AFP/VicPol) come out so we should have some understanding of the facts eventually (? 18 months time sadly).

You may choose to be terrorised by such things, I'll reserve my fear for more real and present dangers.

I'm not "terrorised" - merely i'll cop a singificant delay/ PITA factor to minimise my risk rather than end up dead / plunging into the Indian ocean from 38000ft.

And to repeat, if it was truly suspected to be a viable bomb, why keep the passengers on board for 45 minutes after landing?

I agree with you there - the pax could (should) have been removed immediately and held in a secure location rather than left on the aircraft. I did see a report that the initial set of airstairs brought to the aircraft in the remote location were the wrong height (for the A340) so that may have contributed to the delay.

 

[davec]

My wife & son were on this MK flight - horrible 30 minutes in between first hearing the reports and then getting a text saying they were fine.
But then spent a ridiculous 4hours+ waiting for them to be 'released'. Melb Airport staff and VicPol + AFP were great but there was a total and complete lack of communication between themselves and us (a couple of family members who had headed to the airport). About 2 hours after pax were cleared from flight (about 45mins after landing - indeed the wrong stairs were initially supplied) a room was set up with a couple of Salvation Army chaplains/councillors etc and a bunch of water and muffins. We had to 'register' (in front of maybe 20 Vicpol / AFP) to get in but left after 1 minute and went to the bar instead as we knew everyone was fine.
And then we waited and waited and waited! It was so badly organised its amazing that the place doesn't shut down when anything slightly out of the ordinary happens.....