Man with vendetta sparked aeroplane bomb scare

The bomb threat later turned out to be a hoax. Photo / Supplied

A trans-Tasman bomb scare was sparked when a man had a six minute rant to police about how a passenger on an Air New Zealand flight was carrying an explosive, police say.

Officers yesterday received an anonymous phone call from a New Zealand number that a man had boarded NZ739 from Auckland to Brisbane carrying a bomb, but by the time the passenger was identified the flight had departed.

Inspector Denise Trail said it was obvious from the hoax caller's "ramblings'' that he had a vendetta against the passenger, who was completely unaware of any bomb threat.

"I've listened to six minutes of them on the phone.

"This is a malicious hoax call by someone who is of an age that should know better, certainly an adult, and we're taking it very seriously.''

Police believed they knew who the caller was and would likely charge him for the call, and possibly also for wasting police time, Ms Trail said.

Police sources told NZPA the passenger was being sent back to New Zealand today because his immigration documents were not in order. He would not be charged.

Counties Manukau police spokeswoman Natalie Swart said one possible reason for the hoax call was the man seeking revenge for something the passenger may have done.

- NZPA