NSW: Passengers unaware of airport emergency

AAP General News (Australia)
12-11-2001
NSW: Passengers unaware of airport emergency

SYDNEY, Dec 11 AAP - Passengers on board a Thai Airways flight at the centre of a security
scare at Sydney Airport this morning said they were unaware there had been a problem until
they disembarked.

Eleven ambulances and emergency and fire crews were called to the airport in response
to an airport alert shortly after 6am (AEDT).

A police spokesman later said a plane had landed without incident following a "potential
problem".

Subsequent investigations indicated an incident on board the plane had sparked the alert.

However, the incident was not unlawful and appeared to have been a false alarm.

The plane involved was Thai Airways flight TG991 inbound from Bangkok and due to land
in Sydney at 6.15am (AEDT).

Passengers disembarking this morning were unaware of the drama surrounding their arrival.

They told AAP there had not been any announcements or incidents onboard and the flight
had landed as normal.

They said the first time they became aware that something was amiss was when they were
greeted by a heightened security presence on the gangway between the plane and the terminal,
including a number of Australian Protective Services personnel.

Lynne Lear, travelling from Bangkok with her husband and daughter, said there was no
panic on board although there had been a delay in collecting luggage.

"Then they asked for two men to go forward and declare themselves at the baggage carousel,"

Mrs Lear said.

"I gathered there had been some type of scare because there were too many security personnel."

Sydney Airports corporation spokesman Peter Gibbs said it appeared an alarm had been
accidentally triggered.

"The police have confirmed it was a false alarm," he told reporters at the airport.

"They interviewed the captain once the aircraft had been put in bay.

"We assume it (the alarm) was accidentally bumped.

"Because it was an accident nobody in the cabin crew, or even tech crew in the cockpit,
knew it had happened."

AAP hn/jjs/las/de

KEYWORD: AIRPORT SECOND LEAD

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.