Canadian Emergency Landing: Passenger Aboard Airliner Makes Bomb Threat
A frightening incident happened in a Canadian civilian plane when a passenger aboard threatened the plane and its passengers.
On Friday a Sunwing Airlines plane flying from Toronto to Panama City had to return back to Canada and make an emergency landing, according to the Globe and Mail. A 25-year-old passenger, identified as Ali Shahi, began muttering and acting suspiciously and then "an agitated customer made a direct threat against the aircraft," Janine Chapman, spokesperson for Sunwing, said in an e-mailed statement.
Following the threat, the pilot contacted the authorities and a pair of F-16 fighter jets escorted the plane back to Toronto, Captain Jennifer Stadnyk, of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), told the Canadian newspaper.
"It was a precautionary measure," Captain Stadnyk said. "Once the aircraft was safely on the ground in Toronto, the fighters departed and returned to their home base in Ohio."
Upon landing, police stormed the plane, shouting "Heads down! Hands up!" They arrested Shahi and searched the plane but found no bombs or other suspicious devices, the Globe and Mail reports.
According to CNN, Shahi has been charged with mischief to property, mischief or interfering with the lawful enjoyment of property, other threats and endangering the safety of an aircraft. His parents paid his bail of $1,000 and say that their son is mentally ill.
"I am sorry for what happened on the flight, but Ali is not at fault. I blame the police and health system," Ali's father, Sadegh Shahi, said to CTV News, adding that his son "never got the support that he needed."
He added that "24 times in the last 3 years we have called police."
A witness aboard the flight explained that the incident began when Shahi interacted with a flight attendant, according to CTV News.
"He basically just tore a strip off her, explaining how expensive the cigarettes are here in Canada, he hates Canada," said witness Bettina Bathe. "Then he said, with great expression using his hands, 'I just want to bomb Canada.'"
Passengers also took cell phone videos of the police storming the plane and provided the footage to CTV News.
Watch the video:
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