The I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali, was closed for around one hour on Wednesday evening after a Lion Air flight passenger made a bomb joke. The short closure affected seven international flights and four domestic flights.

“Authorities were forced to close the airport after a passenger commented that the aircraft would explode,” said Arie Ahsanurrohin, the communications and legal head of state airport operator PT. Angkasa Pura I at the Ngurah Rai airport.

(Read also: Garuda flight delayed for six hours over bomb joke)

Arie explained that the incident happened when Lion Air flight JT 015 was about to depart for Jakarta. When the aircraft was all set to take off, a passenger commented that the aircraft would explode.

“Other passengers that heard it immediately reported the passenger to flight attendants. They later reported it to the pilot who decided to return to the apron,” Arie said.

In line with procedures, he said, the aircraft and all passengers had to undergo security checks, conducted by a bomb squad and aviation security personnel. The passenger, a Saudi Arabian national, underwent interrogation by security authorities for making such a joke. (ebf)