Passengers in Australia have overpowered a 17-year-old boy with a shotgun and ammunition as he tried to board a plane.
The teenager entered through a hole in a perimeter fence at Avalon Airport, near Melbourne, and made his way to the aircraft with about 160 passengers aboard, Victoria Police Superintendent Michael Reid said.
"As he approached the plane, he's mounted or climbed the front stairs to the front of the plane," he said.
"At that point, passengers have identified that male was carrying a firearm. The male was overpowered by three of the passengers, at least".
Supt Reid said the teenager had a shotgun and "there was ammunition located with the firearm".
No one was injured, and the boy was arrested.
He has been charged with eight offences and remanded in custody by police to appear in court at a later date.
The plane had been scheduled to fly to Sydney on a flight operated by budget airline Jetstar.
Police are in contact with counter-terrorism investigators but it is too early to establish a motive, Supt Reid said.
"No doubt this would have been a very terrifying incident for the passengers.
"Victoria Police really commend the bravery of those passengers who were ... able to overpower that male."
The boy appeared to be acting alone and was not known to police.
They said they found two bags and a vehicle thought to belong to him.
It is "very concerning that a person can firstly breach security, approach an aircraft and then make his way potentially close to being inside an aircraft with a firearm," Supt Reid said.
It is not known if he had cut the hole in the perimeter fence, or if it was already there.
Footage of the incident aired by Australia's Channel Nine showed a boy in a fluorescent green jacket - similar in colour to those worn by ground staff - being pinned to the floor by a passenger and a pilot.
A flight attendant walks past the scene carrying what appears to be the butt of a shotgun.
Passenger Barry Clark, a wool shearer from a rural town in Victoria, was among the passengers who managed to overpower the boy.
The teenager was "dressed as a worker" or some kind of "technician" and appeared to be "agitated", he told broadcaster ABC.
"Before we knew it, there was a gun - a shotgun appeared - and I was worried about there being shots," Mr Clark said.
"All I could do was get the gun out of the way. And then put him in a hold and throw him to the ground until the police came.
"I've been taught from a boy to be responsible and look after others and we're a sporting family, so I was quietly confident I could handle him."
Another passenger, identified only as Woodrow, told ABC that he joined Mr Clark, the pilot and another man to help hold the boy down after the struggle broke out.
"We were all boarded, I was last on, sat in my chair, heard a kerfuffle, and saw the pilot and this other guy tackling this young boy in a high-vis vest," he said.
Jetstar said it was working with police and airport authorities investigating the incident.
"We know this would have been a very distressing situation", the airline said in a statement.
"We are sincerely grateful to the customers who assisted our crew to safely manage the situation."
