An Australian man who caused a hijacking scare aboard a Virgin Australia flight has denied being drunk.
A QUEENSLAND plumber will not be charged over causing a hijacking scare at Bali's airport, with authorities now looking at the procedures leading to the false alarm.
Matt Christopher Lockley, 28, was aboard a Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane when he banged on the cockpit door, forcing cabin crew to restrain him.
MID-FLIGHT SCARE: Man 'thought cockpit was the toilet door'
The banging also caused the pilots to trigger an alert that had airforce and police officers standing by for the landing at Denpasar on Friday, expecting a hijacker.
Chaos ... Virgin passenger Matt Lockley banged on the cockpit door, forcing cabin crew to restrain him. Source: News Corp Australia
He also denies being drunk, and told police he had taken only Panadol, Voltaren and consumed Coca-Cola before the flight.
Suryambodo Asmoro, Bali Police special crime director, told reporters Lockley was allowed to leave hospital on Sunday and was questioned by aviation officials.
Security ... Indonesian Police secure the room of the Police Hospital where Australian Matt Lockley was taken. Source: Supplied
"Regarding the legal process, it will be conducted in Australia because what he did in that plane was within a plane registered in Australia," he said.
In hospital, Lockley underwent drug and alcohol testing, the results of which have not been returned.
He was also allowed to recuperate from what police described as "exhaustion".
They say Lockley came to Bali looking for his Indonesian wife, whom he hasn't seen in weeks, and was in a state of stress.
Mr Asmoro says he does not know when Lockley will be deported. Indonesian aviation officials are also looking into the circumstances surrounding the hijack alert.
Visitor ... a friend of Matt Lockley arrives at the Police Hospital in Bali. Source: Supplied
Virgin Australia today released a statement saying international protocols require the crew to send an "unlawful interference code" when an individual attempts to enter the cockpit unlawfully.
It is entered to notify Air Traffic Control of the perceived threat, Virgin says.
"This is used by all airlines internationally to ensure the safety of passengers, crew and the aircraft," the statement said. "The captain and crew ensured the highest level of safety was maintained on flight VA41 and followed standard operating procedures." Following the aircraft's landing on Friday, airport authorities said they received no communication from the plane for 30 minutes, forcing airforce officers to approach with caution.
They only boarded the plane after making visual contact, and found Lockley already detained, unarmed and police say he did not resist arrest.
Partying ... Matt Christopher Lockley caused a hijack scare on the Bali-bound plane. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied
However Virgin says its captain was in regular contact ahead of the landing.
"The captain was then in regular communication with Air Traffic Control in line with correct protocols to keep them informed of the status of the disturbance prior to landing," its statement said. Lockley has been visited by Australian consular staff and friends.
Friends of Lockely have visited him in the police hospital where he was being held, and said he seemed "confused and nervous".
One of them, a Balinese man who said his name was Wayan, said he was surprised when he heard about the incident on the Virgin flight.
He said he had been called by police on Friday afternoon to come and help calm Lockley down after a dramatic arrest at gunpoint.
"Police told me to calm him. But I can't go that afternoon, as I still working. I said that I will come once I finished," Wayan said.
Bali regular ... images from the Facebook page of Matt Christopher Lockley. Source: Supplied
He went to Bali Police Station at around 7pm.
"I meet him. He looked calm, just felt confused and nervous," Wayan said of his friend.
"He said that he didn't try to hijack the plane. He just knocked on the door as he thought that it was the toilet. He just want to go to toilet at that time," Wayan said.
He said he had known Lockley for the past year.
Wayan said Lockley had not mentioned anything to him about problems with his wife.
And he was not aware of any psychological problems.
Wayan said Lockley visited Bali frequently.
Runway chaos ... Matt Christopher Lockley being arrested by Indonesian air force soldiers after landing on the Virgin Australia 737-800 plane at Ngurah Rai airport in Denpasar. Source: AFP
Lockley told police he was stressed over not being to make contact with his Indonesian wife for several weeks before his flight on Friday.
The Queensland plumber was described on Friday as drunk by airline and Indonesian authorities, but yesterday insisted he had only consumed soft drinks before the Brisbane to Bali flight and taken some painkillers.
Bali police spokesman Adj. Senior Commissioner Hery Wiyanto said yesterday police had inquired whether Lockley, 27, had any history of mental illness but they were told he did not.
Comm Wiyanto said that Lockley had told them he had meant to knock on the toilet door but instead had been hammering on the cockpit door. This caused the pilot and crew to report an emergency and authorities in Bali were then put on a hijack alert.
Full security was swung into action and when the flight, from Brisbane to Bali landed at Denpasar airport, it was surrounded by heavily armed officers who bundled Lockley off the plane at gunpoint.
Police said yesterday that Lockley's father lives in Bali, in a villa in Canggu and that Lockley's wife was from Bandung, in West Java, Indonesia.
They said that Lockley told them he was stressed about not being able to contact his wife for the past two weeks after she had returned to Indonesia from Australia.
Mixing with locals ... Matt Christopher Lockley in Bali. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied
Comm Wiyanto said Lockley told them that once he got on to the plane, he fell asleep in his seat (30A), after having taken some painkillers and drinking two soft drinks.
"He slept for three hours. He woke up when the stewardess offered food. Once he woke up, he went to the toilet. When he went out from toilet, he felt that someone was following him. He then sat down again in his seat. But then he went to the toilet again. As he panicked, he knocked on the cockpit door, " Comm Wiyanto said.
Seized ... Matt Christopher Lockley is arrested by Indonesian police officers after landing. Picture: Sonny Tumbelaka Source: AFP
"Matt said to police that before he got on to the plane from Brisbane, he consumed two Voltaren, four Panadols and two bottles of Coca-Cola," the officer said.
"He didn't have a desire to knock on the cockpit. He wanted to knock on toilet door. But, because he was hallucinating, he knocked on the cockpit door.
He said that Lockley told them he was stressed about the situation with his wife.
Flight chaos ... Matt Lockley says he mistook the cockpit door for the plane's toilet. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied
Comm. Wiyanto said that tests last night showed Lockley to be unstable and he was given a chance to rest in Trijata hospital to improve his condition before facing further questioning.
They said they made contact with Australian consular officials in Indonesia to find out what is likely to happen from here.
Family and friends have rallied around Mr Lockley's mother Madeline at her Tweed Heads home but the family was too upset to talk to media.
Looking for his wife .. Matt Christopher Lockley is seen at a holding room in Bali, Indonesia. Picture: Firdia Lisnawati Source: AP
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