Perth International Airport Terminal Evacuated

[vitaminp]

ABC news is reporting Perth International Airport has been evacuated after a suspicious package was found on an aircraft being unloaded. Horrie Miller Drive (road into the terminal) has been closed. A whole heap of police cars were heading out there about 30 minutes ago. No further news avaliable yet.

 

[vitaminp]

Sorry, just realised I probably posted this in the wrong thread.

Here is a link to the story:

'Suspicious package' leads to Perth Airport evacuation | PerthNow

 

[SeaWolf]

Hopefully it won't be anything more serious than Adelaide airport's infamous 'curry powder' bio-weapons scare.

 

[v8Statesman]

Hopefully it won't be anything more serious than Adelaide airport's infamous 'curry powder' bio-weapons scare.

Hopefully they blow the airport up (But no one dies!) So we get our new airport faster!

 

[v8Statesman]

Seems to be a big thing and still on going.

Int arrivals SQ and QF have been de planed at the domestic terminal

 

[bambbbam2]

Yes my mum hopped off the Garuda flight from DPS as the last passenger and the security was yelling at her to hurry up.. not sure if this is the flight the suspect package was on.

 

[vitaminp]

The suspicious package was apparently on a Malaysian aircraft.

It was a bit of a production. Here I will have to show my un--ness, I had a listen to the ATC when I got home just after midnight, and QF, CX and SQ were going to taxi to the Domestic and disembark, but not until the last QF Domestic flight had left. I don't know what the passengers did, assuming they would have been quarantined and re-processed at Int?

It was quite funny listening to the pilots/control throwing around ideas, but given the facilities at PER it sounded like they handled the aircraft ops as best they could. Would have been a loooong night for those passengers!

 

[Danger]

Okay, for those of us equally un-, how does one listen to ATC banter?

 

[vitaminp]

I use liveatc.net > Live ATC Audio Feeds > Oceania > Perth

I'm actually not sure of the legality in Australia, I know in the UK there is legislation specifying what you can/can't do with air transmissions. But I have tried to find any relevant Aus legislation and am coming up blank.

 

[rwatts]

I use liveatc.net >
I'm actually not sure of the legality in Australia, I know in the UK there is legislation specifying what you can/can't do with air transmissions. But I have tried to find any relevant Aus legislation and am coming up blank.

Not aware of any specific regarding aviation radio traffic providing you are listening only. The usual provisions regarding non-disclosure of contents of transmissions, etc. would technically apply.

Of course the legislation (Radiocommunications Act 1992 ? - previously Wireless Telegraphy Act) never envisaged streaming on the internet from scanner outputs. By streaming radio reception there may be a breach but I dont think its ever been tested.

Note that if one comes across one of the company frequencies and they just happen to do a phone patch then that immediately comes under the Telecommunications (Interception) Act.

Personally I have a scanner which monitors the aviation band as well as various public-safety agencies. Can be interesting correlating the traffic from different sources - such as when an Emirates A340-500 diverted to ADL for a medical emergency a month or two ago.

Richard

 

[futaris]

Turns out the problem was caused because of some fake flowers being delivered to a woman in Perth from Malaysia.

At least that is what Seven News reported...

 

[Arthur Hodgson]

Turns out the problem was caused because of some fake flowers being delivered to a woman in Perth from Malaysia.

At least that is what Seven News reported...

That's what happens when Little Johnny hires 100,000 more ASIO spooks than the country actually needs.

You don't believe me...?

 

[simongr]

I struggle to see why the airport was closed because an inbound aircraft had a suspect package. Surely if you have an aircraft with a suspected bomb you tow it to a remote stand/location and continue with other aircraft movements rather than closing the whole airport? Am I missing something?

 

[oz_mark]

I struggle to see why the airport was closed because an inbound aircraft had a suspect package. Surely if you have an aircraft with a suspected bomb you tow it to a remote stand/location and continue with other aircraft movements rather than closing the whole airport? Am I missing something?

In my experience, it tends to be the sort of thing that happens once the spooks take control of something. Shut it down seems to be their initial default response.

 

[vitaminp]

I struggle to see why the airport was closed because an inbound aircraft had a suspect package. Surely if you have an aircraft with a suspected bomb you tow it to a remote stand/location and continue with other aircraft movements rather than closing the whole airport? Am I missing something?

My understanding is the suspect packages were on the tarmac and no longer in the aircraft.

I would think when assessing a package it is also necessary to consider it may contain substances other than explosives that have the potential for much wider harm.

 

[oz_mark]

My understanding is the suspect packages were on the tarmac and no longer in the aircraft.

I would think when assessing a package it is also necessary to consider it may contain substances other than explosives that have the potential for much wider harm.

I guess it must have been this. If they thought it was a bomb I am not sure they would have moved it to a safe location!

 

[SeatBackForward]

I struggle to see why the airport was closed because an inbound aircraft had a suspect package. Surely if you have an aircraft with a suspected bomb you tow it to a remote stand/location and continue with other aircraft movements rather than closing the whole airport? Am I missing something?

Because dark suits and sunglasses aren't as cool if the terminal and media can't see them.

 

[oz_mark]

My understanding is the suspect packages were on the tarmac and no longer in the aircraft.

I would think when assessing a package it is also necessary to consider it may contain substances other than explosives that have the potential for much wider harm.

So, how did it come to be on the tarmac - did it just fall off something?

 

[moa999]

Also saw on the news a Perth family claiming ASIO broke down their doors and ransacked their house in the middle of the night - all over fake decorative flowers.

Sky News: Perth disruptions

 

[vitaminp]

So, how did it come to be on the tarmac - did it just fall off something?

Not sure. I read on the professional pilot forum that when unloading it is common to put fragile items on the tarmac while other bags are going onto baggage trolley/trailer. Someone forgets to put them on the top, trailer driven away and I think at this point the stranded items earn their "suspect" decsription.