Stabbed attendant 'kept tackling'

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au ^ | 05/29/2003 | staff

[BallandPowder]

A PASSENGER told tonight how a Qantas flight attendant ignored serious stab wounds to his head to repeatedly tackle a 'would-be hijacker' until he could be subdued.

Derek Findlay described today's dramatic hijack bid by a man in a suit and armed with wooden stakes, who attacked two flight attendants and tried to crash a Melbourne to Launceston domestic flight.

Mr Findlay, 30, was among passengers who wrestled the attacker to the cabin floor after he ran towards the cockpit, lunging at the male purser and female flight attendant.

As well as sticks, the man was also brandishing an aerosol can.

Mr Findlay also gave first aid to the wounded male flight attendant, named Greg, and to his female colleague, who suffered lacerations to her right cheek.

Speaking at Launceston Airport after arriving on another flight, he shrugged off suggestions he was a hero, saying others would have done the same.

"It's the purser who was heroic - he was stabbed in the head but still managed to push the attacker back into the plane and then was helped by male passengers.

"The purser kept tackling, football tackles, before we managed to get the man to the floor and tie him down with zap belts," said Mr Findlay, a commercial diver.

He described the would-be hijacker as "determined", and his actions as clearly premeditated.

Mr Findlay, who was seated two rows from the front of the plane, described the attacker as slightly built, Caucasian with a dark tan, about 170cm tall and "pretty fit".

"He was professional looking, wearing a suit and white shirt, and he looked determined," Mr Findlay said.

"A premeditated attack? Yes, definitely."

What was most peculiar, said Mr Findlay, was that the attacker's fingertips on his right hand were bandaged. Mr Findlay would not be drawn as to why he thought that would be.

"It seemed odd," he said.

"But I would describe him as an idiot for trying to do what he was trying to do.

"What political statement could he want to make on a domestic flight to Tasmania."

He said the attacker made no demands audible to passengers, but it was evident he planned to take control of the aircraft.

Once subdued, the man did not utter a sound, except to answer `yes' when police who boarded the plane in Melbourne asked if he understood why he was being handcuffed, Mr Findlay said.

Passengers appeared relieved as they arrived in Launceston after their ordeal.

They said the plane's captain and co-pilot did not leave the cockpit during the incident.

"It remained locked throughout the attack," said a man from Rosebud in Victoria.

"The captain stayed in the cockpit, where he was supposed to be."

[BallandPowder]

Powder..Patch..Ball FIRE!

More info on the Quantas stabbing suspect... definitely NOT a nutcase as some would have us believe.

[sarasota]

How'd he get on board with an aerosol can? I thought they were on the "forbidden" list.

[Alberta's Child]

I find it utterly disgraceful that this guy was even taken off that plane alive.

[pitinkie]

"What was most peculiar, said Mr Findlay, was that the attacker's fingertips on his right hand were bandaged."

Michael Jackson???

[GOPJ]

Connecting dots...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/919034/posts

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Don't think it was Michael Jackson. The article does mention the attacker was Caucasian, but adds that he had a good tan, which would exclude the very fair-skinned Jackson.

[Fred Mertz]

Mr Findlay, who was seated two rows from the front of the plane, described the attacker as slightly built, Caucasian with a dark tan, about 170cm tall and "pretty fit".

Hmmmm...

[pitinkie]

You are correct!

[sarasota]

Michael Jackson wannabe.

[blau993]

How is anyone going to kill him? Beat him to death with a plastic spoon?

[Alberta's Child]

If I had been on that plane, they would have needed a scraper and a spoon to peel him off the floor.

For heaven's sake -- at least break a couple of bones and deliver a torrent of well-aimed kicks to his lower back.

[buffyt]

As I have said a million times, keeping me from taking fingernail file or clippers in my purse on a flight is NOT making anyone safer since I am NOT a terrorist/killer/lunatic/hijacker..... I am a 52 year old woman with strawberry blonde hair, freckles, blue eyes. Not currently being profiled for any crime. Not suspect of any crime. If real killers/terrorists want to use a weapon they will make a weapon of a pencil, ink pen, fountain pen, coke can that is twisted and torn in two with sharp sharp edges, broken glass.....etc.....

[buffyt]

Plus, a couple here in town killed her father by beating him with a tennis racket. I think anything can become a weapon in the hands of a lunatic/killer/terrorist.

[Coop]

What's with all the tackling? You can't tell me someone didn't have a laptop handy. One shot to the head with the corner of a computer, and this jerk would have no longer been in a mood to charge the cockpit door.

[harpseal]

I hereby nominate the following statement for todays gross stupidity award.

"What political statement could he want to make on a domestic flight to Tasmania."

I believe September 11, 2001 showed the kind of statement that can be made with a hijacked plane or two.

[Vic3O3]

OohRah for the passengers & flight crew!

[jpl]

How is anyone going to kill him? Beat him to death with a plastic spoon?

Strangulation is an old reliable method. A skilled individual could do the old fingers through the eye socket kill. I'm sure the Special Forces types could think of a few other methods...

[waterstraat]

"The captain stayed in the cockpit, where he was supposed to be."

Idiot! The captain should have shot the guy.

[cavtrooper21]

....left hand on the chin, heel of the right hand on the base of the skull, as close as possible to the cervical vertabra, apply sudden force to the.....
Dead hijacker... Boo hoo...

[cavtrooper21]

Wrong!!!
The pilots did EXACTLY what they should do. Lock the door and get the plane on the ground as fast as possible!!!
Only if the door is being breached should they have done anything more.
Let the folks in back handle the hijacker(s). After 9/11 do you think anyone will just sit there if some screwball tries something!!! Not even.