Incident with a Hijacked Light Aircraft Disrupts Flights at Vancouver Airport

Operations at one of the busiest airports in Canada were momentarily halted on Tuesday following a federal police alert concerning the hijacking of a small aircraft.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) from British Columbia reported that at precisely 1:10 PM local time, they were informed that a Cessna 172 had been taken unlawfully from Vancouver Island and was encroaching on the airspace near Vancouver International Airport.

The aircraft was operated solely by one individual, confirmed the police.

A recording from air traffic control, available on liveatc.net, captures an official remarking on the situation as a "hijacked 172" overhead, as reported by the Vancouver Sun.

The plane made its landing at Vancouver by 1:45 PM, and authorities arrested the suspect without encountering any resistance. However, the police chose not to disclose further information.

Visuals posted online displayed the small white Cessna surrounded by security vehicles on a runway post-landing.

According to CBC, the aircraft was affiliated with a flying club in Victoria, which is located on Vancouver Island.

Witness Paul Heeney mentioned to CBC that he observed the plane executing low flight maneuvers and veering to the right as he drove by.

He recounted, "Shortly thereafter, the plane executed another pass, describing a vast circular path."

As per a statement from Vancouver International Airport, a temporary suspension of operations resulted in nine incoming flights being rerouted when the incident unfolded. The stoppage lasted for 39 minutes.

Stephen Smart, the head of communications for the airport, remarked how the duration of the disruption was relatively short, acknowledging that it could have been significantly longer.

He added, "Such occurrences are not common events for us."