This Day in History: 2003-05-29

On 29 May 2003 the Boeing 717 VH-VQI, performing QantasLink Flight 1737, took off from Melbourne Airport, bound for Launceston. About ten minutes later, the cabin crew began preparing for the onboard meal service. The male cabin manager and one female flight attendant crewing in the front galley did not notice an agitated passenger in Row 7 stand up. He began moving forward towards the galley and crew. Then suddenly, the passenger produced two sharpened wooden stakes from his pocket as he reached them. The passenger first stabbed the female flight attendant. She had facial lacerations around her temple and eye area. He then stabbed the male cabin manager several times in the back of his head. The cabin manager was bleeding profusely from his head, neck and chin. Although injured and bleeding, the cabin manager immediately tackled the passenger to unbalance him. There was a scuffle, and he eventually got the passenger on the floor. Several passengers (including a Canadian paramedic and a former Canadian soldier) helped restrain the attacker and held him down. Although she was bleeding from her face wounds, the flight attendant found the plastic tie handcuffs from the stowage carried onboard and passed them to the Canadian passenger who overcame the attacker. Four passengers managed to get on top of the man to restrain him. They tied up the man’s wrists and ankles and kept him in a space between two seats. Without the help of the four passengers, the cabin manager feared he would have been killed. A passenger described the cabin manager’s actions as ‘very brave’ and was concerned at the blood coming from his wounds. Boeing B717 VH-VQI was later registered as VH-NXN when operated by National Jets for QantasLink. VH-VQI later became VH-NXN and departed Canberra, ACT, Australia, for Victorville boneyard, CA, on Friday, 3 May 2024. Sources: Aviation Safety Network website; Aussie Airliners website; The Age, 30 May 2003, p. 12. Sydney Morning Herald. via aph.gov.au website