Cathay Pacific plane from HK escorted to Vancouver

Associated Press ^ | May 15, 2010

[Free ThinkerNY]

VANCOUVER - At least two Canadian fighter jets escorted a Cathay Pacific passenger jet to a safe landing in Vancouver International Airport on Saturday due to a potential unspecified security threat, a North American Aerospace Defense Command spokesperson said.

Local media reports said the plane, which reportedly originated in Hong Kong, was towed to a secure part of the tarmac with passengers still on board.

[AliVeritas]

ping

[Candor7]

Ping

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Bomb threat, looking for more info.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Those pesky Amish again.

[Candor7]

( Did a passenger almost take over the cockpit? These homies would shoot the plane down without a second thought.)

[Army Air Corps]

Canadian Forces bump.

[JRandomFreeper]

Towed instead of taxied? wth? I've heard aircraft landing here with an engine fire being directed to the hammerhead to meet firetrucks under their own power.

Procedure is to kill the aircraft and tow it?

/johnny

[HerrBlucher]

So what goes on in the thoughts of the passengers to know their jet is being escorted to an unscheduled landing?

[A_Former_Democrat]

I was just thinking that . . how horrifying that must be . . .the seconds seem like minutes

[JimSEA]

Thank God they are down. We have been on that route. Mostly Chinese passengers but many connecting from South and Southeast Asia as well as Americans and Canadians (of course).

[Dallas59]

Maybe Kim Jong Il defected...

[Clive]

-

[rdl6989]

This may be of interest to TM.

[Candor7]

Procedure is to kill the aircraft and tow it?>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Could have been a cockpit incident with a wounded pilot, so they shut her down after roll out.

[jimbo123]

More:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64F00Q20100516?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

“They told us there was some sort of terrorist problem and the baggage would be held up,” an unidentified male passenger told Canada’s CTV News after disembarking the flight.

When asked if he was aware that the flight had been escorted by military jets into Vancouver, another male passenger said: “No, no idea. That’s news to me.”

[kristinn]

A Cathay Pacific aircraft is intercepted by CF-18 Hornet fighter jets. May 15, 2010. (Twitter) via CTV News

[Doe Eyes]

So what goes on in the thoughts of the passengers to know their jet is being escorted to an unscheduled landing?

I would be seated way too far forward to have noticed the jet escort.

[luvie]

That sounds bad.

[TSgt]

Incredible sobering photo.

A F-18 wouldn’t have much of a problem intercepting a 747-400.