VANCOUVER, July 16 — A small plane reported hijacked from Vancouver Island landed safely at Vancouver International Airport on Tuesday, prompting a swift response from law enforcement and causing temporary disruptions to air traffic.
According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), authorities were alerted around 1:10 p.m. PT (2010 GMT) that a Cessna 172 aircraft had been unlawfully taken and was heading toward Vancouver’s controlled airspace.
The plane, operated by a flying club based in Victoria, British Columbia, was being piloted by a lone individual identified as the suspect. It landed without incident at 1:45 p.m. PT (2045 GMT), where the suspect was immediately taken into custody on the runway.
“There were no injuries reported and no damage caused during the landing,” the RCMP said in a statement.
Photographs shared by CBC captured the white Cessna surrounded by emergency vehicles and law enforcement officers on the tarmac shortly after its arrival.
As a precaution, Vancouver International Airport temporarily suspended flight operations during the incident. Nine incoming flights were diverted, but airport officials confirmed that normal activity resumed shortly after the aircraft landed.
Authorities have not yet released the suspect’s identity or details about the motive behind the unauthorized flight. Investigations are ongoing.
