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Blues late show stuns Eagles

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 26 April 2014 | 22.16

The Carlton Blues have come from behind to win a thriller against the West Coast Eagles.

Zach Tuohy celebrates the Blues' win on the final siren. Picture: Michael Klein Source: News Corp Australia

IT SEEMED Carlton had run out of legs to end an unfortunate couple of days of untimely mishaps.

Sure, the Blues had the same number of bodies as West Coast on Etihad Stadium's turf, but the imbalance was the quality and balance of the personnel.

Like lone ruckman Robbie Warnock being eventually overwhelmed by the Eagles imposing talls Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui.

And captain Marc Murphy bereft of support in the midfield battles with most of his injured onball colleagues watching helpless from their grandstand seats.

West Coast was steadily grinding down the brave if depleted Blues, particularly at the crucial centre clearances.

Carlton players swamp captain Marc Murphy after the final siren. Picture: Michael Klein Source: News Corp Australia

Already missing Chris Judd and Ed Curnow from the midfield group, Carlton's woes started when David Ellard pulled up sore in a calf muscle after Friday's training. And it worsened when back spasms forced Andrew Carrazzo to withdraw before the game.

That was compounded when back and hamstring issues forced rebounding defender Chris Yarran to be subbed out midway through the third quarter.

West Coast Eagles coach Adam Simpson addresses the press following his sides loss to Carlton.

But Carlton simply refused to yield to eventually pull off what could be a season-defining three-points victory against all odds.

The Blues seemed dead and buried when Eagles sub Dom Sheed stretched the lead to 22 points with a goal on the run to break 10 minutes of stalemate in the final quarter.

Low on energy but overloaded with determination, Carlton players kept coming, amazingly booting the last five goals to snatch the unlikely victory, 14.8 (92) to 12.17 (89).

Josh Kennedy celebrates a goal with West Coast teammates. Source: Getty Images

Jeff Garlett, Zac Tuohy and Lachie Henderson converted from set shots to breathe life before late replacement Dylan Buckley deadlocked the scores with a snap shot heading into time-on.

A brilliant run down the dockside wing by Murphy set free sub Troy Menzel to goal on the run to grab back the lead.

The desperate Eagles had chances to snatch it back - Scott Selwood hit the post with a shot on the run from 30m with 1.53 on the clock before Josh Kennedy's soccer kick in the goalsquare hit the bottom of the post with 56 seconds left.

It was a heart-thumping finale to a pulsating contest in which the first three quarters proved nothing, just the chance for everyone to catch their breath and reload for another half-hour of frenetic speed and rebound.

Carlton coach Mick Malthouse was not a happy man at three-quarter time. Source: Getty Images

Carlton came out chock-full of energy and a forward set-up loaded with height and strength provided by Jarrad Waite, Henderson and Levi Casboult.

And yet it was another tall Blue Warnock who started the scoreboard ticking with a left foot snap from a pack of players on the edge of the goal square inside the opening minute.

Carlton Blues coach Mick Malthouse addresses the press following his sides win over the Eagles.

When Waite slotted two goals and Robinson bagged another, the Blues had run to a 24 points lead after 12 minutes.

But West Coast regrouped and started to threaten by taking over the midfield clearances.

Luke Shuey enjoyed a damaging patch late in the first quarter. He kicked two goals and won the centre clearance that finished with Cripps' accurate set shot to give the Eagles a slender lead after a fast and furious opening term.

West Coast midfielder Matt Rosa takes a classic mark against Carlton. Source: Getty Images

That fluctuating pattern continued in the second quarter with Carlton in control early, stretching the lead to 18 points before West Coast hit back late.

Garlett set the Blues alight with a set shot after a 50m penalty and then a clever left foot snap off the outside of the boot.

Carlton's five points lead at the long break should have been greater. Casboult butchered two set shots from almost the same spot only 30m out, the first fading across goals to sail out on the full and the second hooked and failing to score on the other side of the posts.

No problems for Murphy who ran onto a handpass inside the forward 50, baulked Wellingham and then swerved past Sheppard to goal from close range in a solo run that will be on the highlights reel over the weekend.

BEST

CARLTON: Murphy, McLean, Simpson, Garlett, Walker, Gibbs.

WEST COAST: Priddis, Shuey, Cox, Selwood, Masten, Yeo

VOTES

3. Marc Murphy (Carlton)

2. Matt Priddis (West Coast)

1. Brock McLean (Carlton)


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Inquiry to hear abuse of WA boys

Former brothers and members of the Catholic Church's hierarchy are also expected to be called to give evidence throughout the inquiry. Picture: File Image Source: News Limited

BOYS as young as five were raped, tortured and emotionally abused for decades at four Christian Brother's homes in WA, a national inquiry into child sex abuse will hear on Monday.

And many of those children were sent to Australia from the UK and Malta after the war for what was supposed to be a better life.

Janette Dines, chief executive of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse, revealed the harrowing details ahead of the first WA public hearing which will start on Monday.

She said the commission would this week be looking specifically into the experiences of those former residents who were sent to Castledare, Clontarf, Bindoon and Tardun orphanages from the late 1940s up until the 1960s.

"Some of these men were sent to the residences as child migrants from the UK and Malta, while others were wards of the state," she said.

"Tragically, some of the boys experienced abuse from as young as five years old and that abuse continued throughout their residency."

The details come after it emerged the Catholic order knew of the widespread abuse in WA for decades but covered it up.

A secret report, which has never been made public in full, was prepared for bosses in Rome during the 1990s and contains evidence of correspondence between Brother PA Conlon, the principal of the order in WA during the 1940s, and another brother about the possibility of "scandals".

It also contains notes written by Brother Conlon where he says there was a need to hide the complaints from "outsiders" so they "do not become aware" of the abuse.

Ms Dines told The Sunday Times since commission began, it had received more than 700 calls from people in WA want to share their experiences. As a result it had held more than 161 private sessions - and there were plans for several more.

She said the commission was also looking at other institutions, with another hearing scheduled for next month.

So far around 170 WA institutions have been reported to the commission.

It is understood 12 former residents are expected to share their stories to the commission this week.

Former brothers, members of the Catholic Church's hierarchy as well as state representatives are also expected to be called to give evidence throughout the inquiry.

Adults Surviving Child Abuse president Cathy Kezelman said she hoped this week's hearing would not only serve to bring justice to victims but also hold the Catholic Church and successive WA governments to account.

Norman Johnston, who was sent to Clontarf from the UK when he was just eight, said survivors have been waiting all their lives for the truth to be made public.

"We hope this royal commission goes a long way to getting the answers for how we were allowed to be treated so cruelly in Australia but the truth about how we got here is also essential," he said.

Mr Johnston also said survivors wanted the UK Government to set up a judicial inquiry to explain why children "were taken from their beds and trafficked to Australia".

Around 25 survivors and their families are expected to hold a vigil outside the hearing this week.


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Perth light rail plan gets reboot

Dean Nalder said State Governments had been "too reactive" to transport issues caused by Perth's growth. Source: News Limited

NEW Transport Minister Dean Nalder has vowed to get Perth's delayed $2 billion light rail back on track – saying it may be faster and "smarter" to split the project into two parts.

In a wide-ranging interview on how to fix Perth's congestion problem, Mr Nalder said he was investigating "breaking up" the MAX Light Rail plan.

Mr Nalder said he considered the north-south route connecting Mirrabooka with the CBD a priority ahead of the proposed east-west line between Victoria Park and Nedlands.

He hopes staging the 22km scheme would allow construction of the Mirrabooka-CBD corridor to be brought forward "as much as possible" from 2019.

After six weeks in charge of the Transport portfolio, Mr Nalder also revealed:

There will be no congestion charge for private motorists in Perth;

He will investigate putting Perth's train stations and freeway junctions underground;

Traffic congestion really is hurting WA's productivity;

State Governments have been too reactive to Perth's transport problems;

He wants a transport blueprint for Perth at five million people.

Work on the MAX scheme was supposed to start in 2016, but was pushed back by three years after the state lost its prized AAA credit rating.

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Schools bursting at the seams

There are now 161 primary schools with more than 450 students enrolled . Source: News Limited

PRIMARY schools bursting with students are resorting to two-storey classrooms and staggered assemblies to combat overcrowding.

Principals told The Sunday Times the influx of students is forcing them to replace worn-out grass up to three times a year.

As students return to school tomorrow, "frustrated" school leaders warn the explosion in public primary school students must be addressed in the State Budget. Primary schools built in the metropolitan area since 1995 are generally designed to cater for 430 students in permanent accommodation.

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‘Confused and nervous’ in hospital

A man has been detained after banging on the cockpit door of a Virgin Australia plane flying to Bali.

FRIENDS of the Australian plumber accused of trying to hijack a Virgin flight to Bali have visited him in the police hospital where he is being held, and say he seemed "confused and nervous".

Four of Matt Christopher Lockley's friends have visited him in the police hospital where he is being held in Bali.

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.

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.

MID-FLIGHT SCARE: Man 'thought cockpit was the toilet door'

Hospitalised in Bali ... Indonesian Police secure the room of the Police Hospital where Australian Matt Lockley was taken after being arrested for triggering a mid0flight emergency. Source: Supplied

Lockley may escape any formal charges after telling police he was not drunk and mistakenly knocked on the plane's cockpit door instead of the toilet door after taking painkillers.

He was questioned for several hours by police and is now under police guard in a Bali hospital after officers said he appeared to be in "a bad condition".

He 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.

Visitor arrives ... to see Matt Lockley in the Police Hospital in Bali. Source: Supplied

Police said they were waiting on the results of drug and alcohol tests and had yet to officially declare him a suspect or make a decision on what if anything he will charged with.

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.

In happier times ... Matt Christopher Lockley who is in hospital after being arrested in Bali. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied

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.

Images from the Facebook page of Matt Christopher Lockley, 27, who was held in an Indonesian police cell after a Virgin pilot set off a hijack alarm on the flight Matt was on to Bali. Source: Supplied

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.

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.

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

"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.

"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.

Mixing with locals ... Matt Christopher Lockley, who was held in an Indonesian police cell after a Virgin pilot set off a hijack alarm on the flight Matt was on to Bali. 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.

The pilot and crew were expected to be questioned by police late yesterday in a big to shed further light on what happened on the plane.

If charged, Lockley could face aviation laws of endangering flight safety which carries a two year jail sentence.

Lockley was yesterday being guarded in hospital by six police personnel. He was accompanied by Australian officials believed to be from the Australian consulate.

Police said Lockley had still been unable to contact his wife.

The plumber's Queensland based family said they were concerned about his welfare.

unwell and in need of help ... Matt Christopher Lockley when he was arrested by Indonesian police officers after landing. Picture: Sonny Tumbelaka Source: AFP

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.

A regular visitor to Bali ... Matt Christopher Lockley, who was held in an Indonesian police cell after a Virgin pilot set off a hijack alarm on the flight Matt was on to Bali. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied

A source close to the family said they were anxious as to what sort of penalty Mr Lockley might face under Indonesia's tough justice system.

"They still don't really know anything yet," they said.

He could face two years in jail if charged under Indonesia aviation law with endangering a flight's safety and security.

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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Brothers’ decades of sex abuse

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 25 April 2014 | 22.16

A secret report handed to Christian Brothers bosses in Rome revealed a 'sex underworld' in some Australian orphanages. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

A SECRET report handed to Christian Brothers bosses in Rome ­revealed a "sex underworld" in some of the order's Australian ­orphanages, with some monks raping up to 50 boys each.

The report, prepared in the early 1990s by the order's official historian, contained damning evidence the order's hierarchy in Australia knew decades earlier about the widespread abuse, but hid it.

"As long as outsiders do not ­become aware, we may hope for better times after the war," the principal of the Christian Brothers in Western Australia, Brother PA Conlon, wrote in 1941, according to the report.

In 1935, Brother Conlon had written to another brother about the possibility of "scandals".

Despite knowing of the abuse, the order negotiated with Catholic rescue societies in the UK and Malta for thousands of child ­migrants to be shipped to Australia. Picture: Supplied Source: News Limited

The report, which has never been made public in full, has been ­obtained by the child sex abuse royal commission. The commission is sitting in Perth next week to investigate the handling of abuse by the Christian Brothers at its four notorious ­orphanages in Western Australia.

Despite knowing of the abuse, which stretched back at least to 1920, the order negotiated with Catholic rescue societies in the UK and Malta for thousands of child ­migrants to be shipped to Australia.

Among the homes were Castledare, St Vincent's, St Mary's Agricultural School and Bindoon Farm School, all which will be investigated by the royal commission.

The existence of the report, written by Brother Barry Coldrey in 1993 and sent to the Superior-General of the Christian Brothers in Rome, surfaced in a NSW Supreme Court case the following year, brought against the order by more than 200 migrants. The case was settled and the report was suppressed by the court.


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Passenger jets almost collide

Jetstar and Singapore Airlines passenger planes came within 305 metres of one another while flying over the Northern Territory. Picture: Supplied Source: News Limited

TWO passenger jets nearly collided while flying over Australia on Thursday afternoon.

The Jetstar A320 and Singapore Airlines A330 aircraft had their near miss as they went over the Northern Territory.

Air-traffic control cleared the Jetstar flight from Darwin to Brisbane to climb through the Singapore's jet's altitude en route from Brisbane to Singapore.

The incident, called a "loss of separation", occurred 75km southeast of the RAAF Base Tindal, near Katherine.

A "loss of separation" is when the risk of collision is increased when planes fly within 305 metres vertically and 9.26 kilometres horizontally of each other.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) Team Manager Mark Walker said they were investigating what caused the incident.

"At this stage we don't have any further information. We're in the process of working out what happened," he said.

"We've requested the radar information and we'll be interviewing the controllers next week.

Until we do all that it's a bit hard for us to comment."

There are over 100 'loss of separation' incidents a year in Australia occurring on average once every three days.

"It can be a range of things, actions of controller, actions of flight crew, sometimes it can happen in civil airspace or in military airspace," Mr Walker said.

"Some of them obviously get closer than others; some even though they're close things are still under control."

DRUNK PASSENGER SPARKS MID-AIR EMERGENCY ON VIRGIN FLIGHT

The ATBS declined to say how close the aircraft came to each other.

A Jetstar spokesman said no passengers were injured during the incident.

"Jetstar is aware of a loss of separation incident occurring near the top of flight JQ 673's climb out of Darwin," he said.

"While following air traffic control directions our pilots became aware of the issue and immediately followed appropriate procedures to re-establish the required separation distance.

"There was no impact to passengers and the aircraft landed safely and without incident at Brisbane Airport as scheduled."

The ATSB in October last year released a publication into loss of separation incidents between 2008 and 2012.

The report said there had been an increase in LOS incidents reported to the ATSB in the two years to June 2012.

However that number represented fewer incidents than between 2005 and 2008 despite "traffic levels have generally increased during the same period."

It said there are on average six occurrences every year with an elevated risk of collision with the majority having no or minimal risk.

The report said aircraft separation has many levels of defences to avoid "errors that will inevitably be made from time to time by air traffic controllers and pilots.

"The defences ensure that even if a LOS does occur, the chance of an aircraft collision is still very remote."

The ATSB report into the incident is expected to be completed in November.


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Anzac spirit lives on in Perth march

West Australians across four generations of armed conflicts come together on Anzac Day. Source: News Corp Australia

ANY fears that the Anzac spirit was fading with the deaths of older veterans were surely quashed in Perth as thousands of people attended the Anzac Day dawn service and march.

In an address to people gathered at Supreme Court Gardens after the march, West Australian Governor Malcolm McCusker said that when troops landed at Gallipoli, many were killed before they reached the shore.

"The water ran red with the blood of the dead and wounded," he said.

Hundreds of people lined the streets for the Anzac Day march in Perth

LEST WE FORGET: West Australians pay Anzac Day respects

100 YEARS OF STORIES: Anzac Centenary Special

The Anzac Day march recognises contributions on and off the battlefield.

● GALLERY: #myAnzacDay

Crowds at the 2014 Anzac Day march in Perth.

Mr McCusker said the air was also filled with screams and bullets, with one soldier making the observation: "We've just landed in hell."

"It was a scene of indescribable carnage and confusion, and with the fierce fighting that followed, thousands of soldiers from both sides died from bullets, disease or sickness."

Two young men died together as one tried to comfort his friend, and it was just one of many harrowing stories, he said.

In her dawn service address, HMAS Stirling Commander Angela Bond said the Gallipoli troops had to face their fears and quell their sickness.

"Those of us who have not worn the shoes of those men will never understand or know the fear, anticipation or sickness felt in the pit of the stomach of sailors, soldiers, airmen and women about to put themselves into danger for their country," she said.

Marking 100 years of Australian submarines, she also recounted the story of the AE2, an E-class submarine involved in the Dardanelles campaign.

In a first, ceremonies were held at Kings Park's State War Memorial all week in a bid to cap numbers on the public holiday, but about 45,000 people still gathered for the dawn service. Both the Australian and New Zealand national anthems were played.

Defence Minister David Johnston said that since the first convoy left Albany in 1914, almost two million people had worn the Australian navy, army and air force uniforms.

"We remember around 100,000 men and women of the Australian Defence Force who have lost their lives while serving their country," he said in a statement.

Senator Johnston also urged Australians to remember the 2000 people currently serving in Afghanistan, the Middle East, South Sudan, Egypt, Israel/Lebanon, on border protection duties, and in the search for Malaysian Airlines flight MH370.

At the march, Peggy Boehm, 88, watched her 91-year-old husband pass by.

He served in World War II at age 17 and was in Borneo when the war ended.

Returned and Services League WA president Graham Edwards said young people were embracing the Anzac spirit in increasing numbers. Nada Brock brought her young sons to the march for the first time and said although there were no veterans in her family, she wanted to teach them the importance of Anzac Day.

Peggy Boehm, 88, was sitting by the side of the road waiting for her 91-year-old husband to pass by.

He served in World War II at age 17 and was in Borneo when the war ended.

Ms Boehm and her family, including her grandchildren, have been attending the Anzac Day march for more than a decade.

She said it was important to remember the efforts of Australia's servicemen and women.

Nada Brock brought her sons — Finley, eight, and Lewis, five — to the march for the first time.

"We wanted to go to the dawn service but it was too early for the boys, so we watched it on TV instead," she said.

Although there are no veterans in the family, Ms Brock said she wanted to teach her young children the importance of Anzac Day.

"We're Australian and I want to teach them why we have a public holiday and what it means," she said.

Ms Brock said her oldest son was already learning about the Anzac spirit at school and was keen to learn more.


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Facts and myths of flight 370

Authorities have yet to find any signs of MH370's wreckage despite examining almost all of the search zone.

Search will go on ... Flight Lieutenant Phil Wade manning the Mission Commander station during the search for missing 370. Source: AFP

THE fate of MH370 has been shrouded in mystery, misinformation and more myth than fact in the 50 days since it disappeared.

FACT — Malaysia Airlines flight 370 departed from Kuala Lumpur airport at 12.42am on Saturday March 8, the pilot signed off to Malaysian air traffic control at 1.19am and at 1.30am it disappeared from civilian radar. Last detected by military radar at 2.15am near Penang in the Malacca Straits.

MISSING PLANE: The Flight 370 conspiracy theories you haven't heard

MYTH — Various reports have suggested that the plane flew up to 45,000 feet, down to 12,000 feet and even plunged to 5000 feet to fly like a stealth fighter jet to avoid radar detection. None of these reports have been confirmed as true.

FALSE HOPE: Debris washed up on WA beach not from Flight 370

FACT — None of the passengers on board have been confirmed to have attempted to make a mobile telephone call from the time the plane took off to its disappearance.

FLIGHT 370: Prime Minister Tony Abbott vows to keep searching

MYTH — Reports that the chief pilot made or received a phone call from a mystery woman using a SIM card purchased in a fake name in the moments before the plane took off have been denied by Malaysian authorities. So too have reports that the copilot's phone was turned on and tried to connect with a tower at some stage as the plane flew over the Malaysia peninsular after turning around.

FACT — The pilot, Capt Zaharie Ahmad Shah, had a homemade flight simulator at his home which was examined by police and aviation experts. It showed "nothing sinister".

Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah. Source: Supplied

Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah with his family. Source: YouTube

MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT: 'Thrown around like jet fight' to avoid radar — claim

FACT — The plane was carrying mangosteen fruit and lithium-ion batteries in its cargo hold. The full cargo manifest has not been released.

JETLINER LOST: Tony Abbott says a search rethink will occur

MYTH — The plane was rumoured to be carrying tonnes of gold bullion in cargo.

FACT — Investigators used technical and complex methodologies, never used before, to work out the Boeing 777-200's flight path after it disappeared from radar but continued communicating with an Inmarsat satellite.

Minisub ... Bluefin-21 being recovered from the Indian Ocean after another fruitless search. Picture: Australian Defence Source: AFP

MYTH — Investigators now believe the plane may have landed somewhere and not be in the Indian Ocean at all.


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Drunk passenger sparks flight scare

The pilot of a Virgin Australia plane flying from Brisbane to the Indonesian holiday island of Bali reports a hijacking attempt, after a passenger tries to enter the cockpit. Sarah Toms reports.

Allegedly tried to enter cockpit ... Australian Matt Lockley, 28, is escorted by Indonesian Air Force officers at Ngurah rai Airport in Bali.

AN allegedly drunk passenger on board a Brisbane to Bali flight sparked a major drama, causing Denpasar airport to close and go on high alert when it was initially reported he was a hijacker.

Matt Christopher Lockley, dressed in flip-flops, white shorts and a T-shirt, was arrested by military police and taken in for questioning after the

Virgin Australia flight landed safely at Ngurah Rai airport.

Handcuffed and being led away from plane at gunpoint ... Matt Lockley is taken from the Virgin Australia flight at Denpasar. Source: Supplied

NEAR MISS: JETSTAR, SINGAPORE AIRLINES COME WITHIN 305M

The mid-air drama began when the plane's crew pressed an emergency button which sent an automatic signal to air traffic controllers in Denpasar and Makassar.

It was about 30 minutes before the plane's scheduled landing time and the plane was 180 nautical miles from Denpasar.

Authorities in Bali believed the plane had been hijacked and rushed to put in place emergency procedures.

Attempted to enter cockpit ... Matt Lockley, 28 was arrested and is taken to police at the airport in Denpasar, Bali. Source: News Corp Australia

The 27-year-old Lockley was last night being held in custody and interrogated by police. Authorities were still contemplating whether he would be criminally charged and with what offence. They have not ruled out charging him with hijack or causing fear in the community.

Two psychiatrists were brought in to examine him. Urine and blood samples were taken for analysis of alcohol or drugs.

Co-manager at Bali airport, I Gusti Ngurah Ardita said that Lockley's condition looked "unstable".

He said that during interrogation Lockley told police that he banged on the cockpit door because he needed medication which was in his baggage. The pilot had pressed the emergency button. Medication was in Lockley's possession and authorities were still checkingwhat it was for.

As Lockley was moved from one office to another by officials he made no comment. Photographs of his arrest show him being led from the Virgin Australia plane by heavily armed military police.

He was initially taken in for questioning by the military which has jurisdiction at the airport but was later handed over to Bali police who said they would interview him along with the plane's cabin crew.

Heavily guarded ... Matt Lockley is taken into the airport after being arrested on arrival at Ngurah Rai airport. Source: AFP

Police revealed Lockley is the holder of a Queensland driver's licence and had a licence to perform high risk work and a plumbing industry council card, which were displayed during a press briefing.

Under Indonesian aviation law a person who commits an act to endanger flight safety and security faces two years in jail or one year for those who disturb a flight.

Lockley was later taken to Bali police headquarters in Denpasar where he was being further questioned.

Bali Police Chief, Inspector Benny Mokalu, said no-one had been injured in the incident.

All passengers had left the plane and gone to the hotels and holidays.

He said that after banging on the cockpit door, Lockley had been taken to the cabin crew area and was sitting there when heavily-armed police entered the plane at Ngurah Rai airport.

Insp Mokalu said that cabin crew had told police that Lockley appeared to be "paranoid" but it wasn't clear why.

Refused to comment ... Matt Lockley is seen at a holding room in Bali, Indonesia, Friday, after allegedly trying to attempt to break into the pilots' cockpit. Source: AP

Col Sugiharto Prapto Waluyo, the commander of base operations at Ngurah Rai, said information was first received about 2pm local time when it was reported that the plane had been hijacked.

Treating the information seriously, Bali police, military and airport officials immediate went into hijack mode. The airport was closed and personnel were deployed to handle a hijack drama.

"We received information about a hijacking at 2pm local time from the airport general manager and air traffic control Makassar. We then conduct the procedure, as the initial information is a hijack.

"We didn't know if there was something dangerous in the plane or not. Is there a bomb or what. When the plane landed we steered the plane to park in two seven runway because we can't communicate with the pilot," Col Waluyo said.

In dramatic scenes, police had positioned a vehicle in front of the plane after it stopped and armed officers raced to the scene.

"We implemented the hijack arrest procedure as we didn't know if it's a hijacker or not. Our team then caught him, handcuffed him and brought him from the plane.

Escorted into questioning ... Matt Lockley is handcuffed and pushed by Indonesian Air Force soldiers into Ngurah Rai airport in Denpasar. Source: AFP

The Virgin Australia flight 41 from Brisbane to Bali had 139 passengers on board including 137 adults, two children and six crew members

As the drama unfolded, air traffic control in Bali diverted seven incoming flights to Surabaya, in East Java, one to Lombok and five flights were delayed and stopped from taking off.

Initial reports from Indonesian military and media that suggested the plane had been hijacked was quickly dismissed when it became apparent the would-be cockpit impostor was reportedly a drunken or drug-affected Australian passenger.

Lockley was alleged to have been banging on the cockpit door of the plane, causing the pilots to become worried about a hijack. This was later dismissed.

Virgin's Bali manager Heru Sudjatmiko said it was a "miscommunication".

"I repeat, this is just a miscommunication. How the miscommunication occurred, I cannot answer because I wasn't there. But it's not true to say that the plane was hijacked," Mr Sudjatmiko told Idonesia's Metro TV station.

"I don't know exactly what happened when the pilot communicated with the air traffic controller at Ngurah Rai," he said.

The Denpasar City Police chief Adj. Commissioner DjokoHariutomo told Kompas media that a drunk passenger tried to enter the cockpit of the Boeing B737-300 plane.

"We deployed a lot of personnel because we are informed that an aircraft was hijacked," Djoko said.

Arrested and handcuffed and taken from commercial flight ... Police hold licenses of Matt Lockley who allegedly attempted to enter the cockpit of a Virgin Australia flight.; Source: Supplied

Palani Mohan, a passenger on a Garuda flight that was about to take off from Bali, said they were told an alleged hijacking had taken place at first, which would delay their flight.

"I saw at least five vehicles including military-style trucks, filled with men in uniform, rushing towards the plane.

"Then the Virgin plane taxied away, followed by the convoy of security forces. The flight attendant said it's been taken off to a different part of the airport.

"Bali airport seems to be in lockdown, we've been told no planes will be departing or arriving. The pilot's not allowing anyone off our plane."

A Virgin Australia spokesman said one other flight was affected en route from Sydney to Denpasar, and was diverted to Darwin Airport.

It was a decision made by the Indonesian authorities to shut Denpasar Airport, leaving multiple flights in the lurch.

"It depends on crew hours, but it is most likely that the plane will be refuelled tonight and then continue on to its destination," the spokesman said.


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