A 17-year-old was charged in Australia after boarding a plane with a shotgun and ammunition at Avalon Airport near Melbourne.

The teenager, who breached a security fence, was tackled by passengers and crew before takeoff on a flight bound for Sydney.

He faces eight charges, including unlawfully taking control of an aircraft and endangering flight safety. No one was injured, though the incident caused distress among passengers, the BBC has reported.

Authorities are investigating the motive, and a bomb specialist was called in to inspect nearby bags and a car. The airport has since reopened.

Written by B.C. Begley