A stun gun found on an aircraft departing Melbourne has sparked a federal police investigation, amid concerns about airport security.
The stun gun was discovered by cabin crew during final checks of the aircraft before the takeoff of Virgin Australia flight DJ229 from Melbourne's Tullamarine airport to Adelaide on Friday.
Virgin Australia spokeswoman Emma Copeman said the stun gun appeared to have dropped out of a passenger's bag as a member of the cabin crew rearranged items in the overhead locker.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) were called and confiscated the weapon.
Police questioned passengers sitting nearby before clearing the aircraft for takeoff, Ms Copeman said.
No one was removed from the flight, she said.
Ms Copeman said the airline thoroughly checked flights upon arrival, and the stun gun was not detected when the aircraft arrived earlier at Melbourne Airport.
"They check the flights completely after they arrive and depart and there was no reports of anything on the flight beforehand," she told AAP on Saturday.
"I believe (the stun gun) fell out of a bag that was on the aircraft."
The AFP said investigations into the incident were continuing, adding that there had been no danger to travellers on the aircraft, they said.
Melbourne Airport spokeswoman Anna Gillett said the flight, scheduled to depart for Adelaide at 2.40pm (AEDT), was delayed only a little by the incident.
She said although the airport would work with the AFP investigators, it would not be conducting its own inquiries into how the stun gun could have evaded airport security.
Front page
RSS Feed