Boy, 16, arrested in US plane hijack plot

A teenage passenger has been arrested in Tennessee for plotting to hijack a plane from Los Angeles to Nashville, the FBI said today.

Agency spokesman George Bolds said the 16-year-old boy from California was removed from Southwest Airlines Flight 284 on Tuesday night by authorities at Nashville International Airport and found with “suspicious” items.

Bolds said the boy, believed to be suicidal, had handcuffs, rope and duct tape in his bag and appeared to be travelling alone. His name was not released.

“His plan had a low probability of success,” Bolds said.

The teenager is in custody at Davidson County Juvenile Detention Centre, where he faces state charges, but Mr Bolds did not comment on what the charges were. He said he expected federal charges to come.

He dismissed earlier reports that the teenager was planning to crash the plane into a Hannah Montana concert in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Mr Bolds authorities searched the boy’s home in California and found a mock cockpit. His parents were unaware that he was travelling to Nashville, he added.