Australian man accused of plane crash threats at Changi Airport to plead guilty

SINGAPORE: An Australian man accused of making threats to crash a plane at Changi Airport has expressed his intention to plead guilty, the court heard yesterday (9 Dec).

The defendant, identified as 36-year-old Moncrieff Marli Curtis Philip, is facing two charges stemming from his remarks made prior to boarding a flight. His case is set for an urgent hearing on Dec 18.

According to CNA, the incident occurred in the early hours of Nov 20 in Terminal 4’s waiting lounge. The defendant was preparing to board Jetstar Airways flight JQ96 to Perth when he allegedly made alarming statements.

He is reported to have said, “I hope the plane crashes and everyone dies,” and “I want the plane to crash.”

Later, at the immigration counter, around two hours after the initial comments, Philip allegedly made further threatening remarks, saying:

“If you put me on another flight, I will do the same thing. I will tell the pilot that I will crash the plane.”  The prosecution has asserted these statements could have caused significant panic among passengers and staff.

In court, Philip indicated his wish to plead guilty as soon as possible and disclosed that he could not afford legal representation.

The defendant is currently out on bail set at $1,000 but has had his passport confiscated. The Australian Embassy has also been prohibited from issuing him any travel documents.