Wednesday 1 November 2017

Drunken Plane Passenger's Bomb Threat

A dunken agitated passenger triggered an emergency after shouting: "Watch him he's got a bomb," when his Qantas plane landed at Heathrow Airport.

Merchant Navy First Officer Laurentiu Streaja, 36, was returning home to Romania following his vessel's journey to New Zealand and was locked-up for a month until his sentencing this week.

There had to be a lock-down of the A380 jet, which had taken-off in Dubai, with no passengers allowed off until a thorough search was completed.

Streaja pleaded guilty to being drunk on board the plane and making a bomb hoax on the September 30, flight.

Uxbridge Magistrates Court remanded him in custody on October 2, where he remained until this Monday's hearing at Isleworth Crown Court.

The court heard Streaja was "agitated" after the plane landed and kept getting out of his seat, despite warnings from cabin crew to remain seated.

He shoved the crew member into another passenger and shouted: "That man's got a bomb. Watch him he's got a bomb."

Streaja had got drunk on red wine during the flight and said he remembered nothing about the incident when questioned by police.

He has served in the Romanian Navy and is now second in command to the ship's captain in his current job, sailing container vessel's all over the world.

Streaja's lawyer told the court of the married dad: "This could have an absolutely devestating effect on his career and his family.

"If he goes to prison that will be the end of his current contract."

His six-month work stint had ended in Auckland and he had been travelling for twenty-seven hours without sleep when he was arrested.

Streaja admits he tried to drink himself to sleep with red wine.

Judge Andrew McDowall told him: "People who get drunk on an aircraft can cause a great deal of trouble and distress although this was in the last stages of the flight that you were misbehaving.

"I don't know what effect this will have on your career, but I'm sure it won't help it."

Streaja was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years. 



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