A teenager in Australia is accused of trying to hijack a passenger plane after allegedly sneaking onto a Jetstar flight with weapons and telling crew he needed to get to the cockpit.
The young man, now 19, cannot be named because he was under 18 at the time of the alleged incident. He is accused of boarding a Jetstar plane at Avalon Airport near Melbourne in March 2025 while carrying weapons and allegedly planning an attack.
According to court documents reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, the teen’s mother had dropped him off at work earlier that day. Instead of staying there, he allegedly walked to a train station, took a taxi home, and removed guns from his father’s gun safe.
Authorities allege he took shotguns, a rifle, and other weapons before leaving a letter on the bench and heading out.
The teen, who reportedly held a junior firearms license, allegedly stopped at a Hungry Jack’s restaurant for food before driving to the airport. He parked near shipping containers outside the airport and then allegedly used wire cutters to cut a hole in a fence.
From there, prosecutors say, he entered the airport grounds.
CCTV footage allegedly showed him walking across the tarmac wearing a high-visibility disguise and carrying tool bags, according to The Australian. Prosecutors say witnesses assumed he was an engineer because of how he was dressed.
At the time, 173 passengers were boarding a Jetstar flight to Sydney from the back of the plane.
The teen allegedly approached the front stairs.
When crew asked to see his boarding pass, he reportedly whispered that he had “bombs in his bags” and said, “I need to go to the cockpit,” while asking them to stay calm.
As he moved toward the cockpit, prosecutors say he unzipped his jacket and allegedly began pulling out shotgun parts, apparently trying to assemble the weapon.
That is when someone jumped on him, grabbed the barrel of the gun, and restrained him in a chokehold. Staff then placed him in flexicuffs, according to reports.
The teen allegedly told witnesses he did not want to scare people but had been planning the hijacking for months.
According to The Australian, he allegedly said, “Some things need to be done,” and said he did it to “hurt people.”
The court heard that in the days before the alleged incident, the teen had searched online for airports and planes being shot down, according to the Herald.
Prosecutors also alleged he had recently fallen out with his usual friends and made new friends who had “shown him the way.”
Investigators also allegedly found a handwritten to-do list. According to The Australian, the notes included phrases such as “Make sure all weapons are assembled and stored” and “Check explosives make all adjustments.”
Authorities allege the teen had a shotgun broken into three parts, nine shotgun cartridges, a knife in a sheath, two folding knives, a silver Zippo lighter, tools in a tool belt, and a teddy bear.
Court documents also reportedly said one bag appeared to contain an improvised explosive device. Another item allegedly included an ice cream container holding three beer bottles with blue rags stuffed in the ends, described as Molotov cocktails.
Police also allegedly found a .22-caliber rifle with a telescopic sight and silencer attached to a tripod in the teen’s car near the airport.
The teen has been charged with multiple offenses, including possessing a trafficable quantity of firearms, possessing controlled weapons without excuse, assaulting crew, attempted hijacking, prejudicing the safe operation of an aircraft with intent to kill, and attempting to take control of an aircraft, according to reports.
If convicted, he could face life in prison.
Prosecutors are asking for the case to be moved to a higher court, arguing that the penalties available in children’s court are not enough.
The teen’s defense lawyer has argued that children’s court is the proper place for the case and suggested they may pursue a mental impairment defense.
Victoria Police declined to comment because the case is still before the courts.