A Jetstar passenger plane nearly struck a van on the tarmac at Townsville Airport, in an incident covered by ABC News, Bloomberg, and the NZ Herald around 13 October 2026. The plane performed a low pass over the van during the close call.
The near miss has raised questions about tarmac safety procedures at the airport. Australian aviation authorities will likely examine the incident in the coming days. Airport ground procedures at Townsville Airport are expected to be examined as part of any investigation.