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Steve Parsons/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Drunk passenger leads to 'miscommunication' that Virgin plane was hijacked

Indonesia TV is reporting the aeroplane had left Australia and was forced to land at Bali International Airport.

Updated 9.25am

INDONESIA MEDIA REPORTED this morning that there was an attempted hijack on a Virgin Australia plane, which was then forced to land at an airport in Bali.

However, the airline said today that the flight had not been hijacked, and in fact the cause was a drunk passenger.

A drunk passenger on a Virgin Australia plane was arrested at Bali airport after triggering a hijack alert when he attempted to enter the cockpit, airline and Indonesian officials said Friday.

“This is no hijacking, this is a miscommunication,” said Heru Sudjatmiko, a Virgin Australia official on the Indonesian resort island.

What happened was there was a drunk person… too much alcohol consumption caused him to act aggressively.

National police spokesman Suhardi Alius said the passenger had been arrested over the incident.

According to Metro TV in Indonesia, the aeroplane is currently at country’s international airport on the island.

Additional reporting Aoife Barry

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