[ klichko @ 04.04.2006. 15:22 ] @
| Kuala Lumpur - A Malaysian man accused of making a bomb threat hoax while he was on an airliner will be at risk of life in prison for his prank, which caused flight delays of up to three hours, a report said Tuesday. The 31-year-old was on a flight from the southern Senai airport in Johor to the eastern Sabah state on Borneo island when he told flight attendants that there was a bomb on board the plane. The pilot made an emergency landing, and 96 people on board the flight were immediately evacuated. A bomb squad checked the plane but found no traces of explosives. Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said that the man would be charged under the Aviation Offenses Act, which carries a life imprisonment sentence for the hoax. 'The government is very concerned about the safety of our flights,' said Chan. Sunday's prank caused the Senai airport to be closed to air traffic for three hours, which in turn caused numerous flight delays nationwide. Under the newly enforced aviation act, any person who intentionally communicates false, misleading or deceptive information that can or is likely to jeopardize the safety of an aircraft is liable to imprisonment for life upon conviction, said Chan. 'If you think this is a joke, you may have to pay a heavy price,' he was quoted as saying by the Star daily. The 31-year old suspect, who has been placed under remand, would be sent for psychiatric evaluation before being charged, police said. |