Four stabbed in Qantas hijack bid May 29 2003 By Debbie Cuthbertson http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/29/1054177663658.html Two flight attendants were stabbed when a man armed with two sharpened pieces of wood tried to force his way into the cockpit of a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Launceston this afternoon. Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson said it appeared the man had attempted to hijack the plane. "The man became very threatening indeed, headed for the cabin and seemed intent to force a nasty outcome, and crash an aircraft. "You might call that a hijacking." Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon said a 38-year-old male flight attendant was stabbed in the back of the head, while a 25-year-old female attendant was cut in the throat. The pair are in the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious but stable condition. Ambulance spokesman James Howe said two passengers were also treated at the scene for facial lacerations. Mr Dixon said the door to the cockpit was locked, preventing the man from entering. He said Qantas had installed enhanced security systems on much of its fleet, but not on this plane. He would not confirm or deny whether an air marshal was present on the flight. The man was armed with two 15cm-long wooden stakes, he said. The 47 other passengers on the 115-seater plane had been offered counselling, onward flights and accommodation. Melbourne Airport spokeswoman Brooke Lord said the flight, QF 1737, departed Melbourne at 2.50pm and returned at 3.20pm. Australian Federal Police said a man was arrested shortly after the flight returned to Melbourne. "We believe a male passenger was attempting to enter the cockpit and was subdued by flight attendants and passengers," a spokeswoman said. Mr Anderson said the incident was not an act of terrorism: "It was an act by an inidivudal who is less than stable." He said the weapon would not have been detected by airport metal sensors, and reassured travellers that it was still safe to fly. A passenger on the flight, Keith Charlton, told Sky News that crew members kept travellers calm throughout the incident. Mr Charlton said one or two passengers were "extremely angry" about the incident, but most were "in a state of disbelief". A man in his 40s has been taken into custody. - with AAP