Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Did a 23 year old flight attendant orchestrate Sunday's bomb scare?
So, we told you about the Gatwick Bomb Scare that shut down London Gatwick completely for fifteen minutes on Sunday.We have more information. Firstly, the note was found by a passenger in the restroom, and it said "Explosive material can be found in the FWD [forward cargo department]. We have the Taliban to thank for this and it will activate."
Secondly, they never found anything explosive on that plane except the word "explosive" on a note in a pair of a flight attendant's shorts. In his suitcase. In the same handwriting as the note in the bathroom. That note said "Cargo Contains Explosive."
Thirdly, 23 year old Australian born flight attendant Matthew Carney has been arrested for "involvement" in the hoax, a.k.a. "writing the note." A flight attendant! On the flight! Not funny, Carney!
But apparently, it wasn't a joke. According to the Herald Sun, Carney's lawyer is claiming that he's been having a mental breakdown and that he hadn't slept for four days leading up to the incident. Are they going to plead insanity? This is turning into a TV movie. Fast.
He faces two years in prison, maybe more, and a lot of angry letters from the 164 passengers and 17 other crew members who were detained, fingerprinted, and questioned for ten hours following the incident.
He has not yet entered a plea, and has a hearing next month. He is being held without bail, and is reportedly on suicide watch.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Hugh G. Reckshun Mar 27th 2009 10:45AM
Is there a pattern here? Could depressed wages that are plaguing the Industry possibly be a factor? There's a old saying that says, "When you pay peanuts for wages, you get monkeys for workers."
Geesh! Some flight attendants are so pressed to make ends meet they're having to resort to porno careers on the side! But the jury is still out as to whether or not that's a bad thing! LOL!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Flight attendant accused of setting fire on airplane
By DAVE KOLPACK, Associated Press Writer
Fri May 16, 12:14 AM ET
A flight attendant angry about his work route set a fire in an airplane bathroom, forcing an emergency landing, authorities said.
The Compass Airlines flight carrying 72 passengers and four crew members landed safely in Fargo on May 7 after smoke filled the back. No injuries were reported. The plane was flying from Minneapolis to Regina, Saskatchewan, authorities said.
Eder Rojas, 19, appeared in court Thursday, following his arrest a day earlier in Minneapolis, and ordered held without bail, prosecutors said. The charge of setting fire aboard a civil aircraft carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
His public defender did not return a phone call seeking comment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Jordheim, who is prosecuting the case in Fargo, would not comment.
Court documents said Rojas, of the Twin Cities suburb of Woodbury, told authorities he was upset at the airline for making him work the route.
"Rojas further stated that he was preparing his cart to serve the passengers, he set the cart up, went back to the lavatory and reached in with his right hand and lit the paper towels with the lighter," court documents said.
Pilot Steve Peterka told authorities that an indicator light came on about 35 minutes into the flight, showing smoke in the rear bathroom.
Peterka called Rojas, who was assigned passengers in the back of the plane, and asked him to check the bathroom, documents said. Rojas, another flight attendant and a passenger were credited with quickly putting out the flames with fire extinguishers, authorities said.
Investigators later found a lighter in one of the overhead bins. Rojas confessed after authorities interviewed him, the complaint said.
Compass is a subsidiary of Northwest Airlines, based in Eagan, Minn. Rojas has been fired, said Northwest spokesman Rob Laughlin. Northwest did not say how long Rojas worked for the airline.
FBI agent Ralph Boelter said Compass Airlines officials showed "extraordinary cooperation" in the investigation.