Crew, passengers rush out of plane after man shouted ‘bomb’

People on board an AirAsia flight bound for Indonesia on Wednesday were ordered to disembark the plane after a passenger uttered the word “bomb,” a police official said. AirAsia Flight AK423 was about to depart from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport when “one of the passengers was heard saying, ‘maybe there’s a bomb’,” Sepang district police Chief, Abdul Aziz Ali, told reporters.

Airport officials did not allow the plane to leave and ordered the passengers evacuated. The flight was bound for Bandah Aceh in Indonesia. “A bomb disposal team was sent to the aeroplane and inspected all the cargo, but there was no bomb found,” he said.

Abdul Aziz said the passenger who uttered the B-word was not allowed to leave and is being investigated by the police.

“Our initial investigation showed the passenger does not pose security threat,” he said.

AirAsia confirmed the incident, adding that the plane was allowed to leave early in the afternoon after it was declared safe by authorities. (dpa/NAN)