A 41-year-old Singaporean man was arrested for making a false bomb threat while aboard a Scoot flight out of Singapore on Thursday. Following the bomb threat, the Thailand bound flight, which was carrying 173 passengers and six crew members, returned to Singapore.
Two Republic of Singapore F-15SG fighter jets were used to escort the Scoot flight during the incident.
The police said in a press release that they have conducted investigations into the incident. On Facebook, the police wrote that the man in question and his two other travel companions were taken off the flight to assist with investigations.
According to the police, the officers conducted checks on the trio's baggage as well as the aircraft. But, no credible threat was found.
In a separate report, the authorities said that the suspect had claimed he had a bomb in his hand-carry baggage to a crew member.
Under Regulation 8(1) of the United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures), if the suspect is convicted, he may face a jail term of up to 10 years or a maximum fine of $500,000 or both.
In response to media queries, Scoot airlines said that all aboard the aircraft were safe, including the six crew members. The flight was later rescheduled to depart at 6.30 pm from Changi International Airport.
Meanwhile, Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen has congratulated the RSAF for their immediate action that helped to escort the Scoot flight. "(For) our RSAF pilots who are on stand-by duties 24/7, every threat is considered real until proven otherwise. They keep us and our skies safe," Ng said in a Facebook post.
