A 30-year-old man was arrested at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) after breaching airport security, entering the tarmac and attempting to enter the cargo hold of a Sri Lankan Airlines aircraft.
The incident occurred in the afternoon of April 26, 2024 when the man reportedly made his way past airport immigration controls and onto the tarmac.
Video footage of the incident, which has been published across social media platforms, shows the moment Australian Federal Police (AFP) and airport ground workers stopped the man from getting inside the aircraft’s cargo hold.
The man appears to have reached the platform leading to the aircraft cargo area. The video clip shows airport ground workers lowering the platform so that AFP officers can get hold of the man, who can then be seen resisting until he was subsequently pinned to the ground.
The aircraft, a Sri Lankan Airlines Airbus A330, was due to operate flight UL 607 bound for Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) in Colombo.
“AFP officers arrested a man, 30, who allegedly ran through the main screening area and gained access to restricted areas, including the apron”, the AFP said in a statement seen by Australian media.
The man was eventually given a court attendance notice for breaching restricted areas of the airport. Following his arrest, he was also issued a 12-month ban from SYD Airport.