‘Hijacked’ Plane Sparks Chaos at Busy International Airport

A shocking security scare erupted at one of Canada’s busiest airports Tuesday after a man allegedly hijacked a small private plane and flew it directly into restricted airspace, forcing pilots to abort landings and sending emergency protocols into overdrive.

The 39-year-old suspect, identified as Shaheer Cassim, allegedly stole a Cessna 172 from Victoria International Airport and flew it across Vancouver Island toward Vancouver International Airport (YVR), triggering a 39-minute lockdown of the airfield.

“We do have an aircraft that has been hijacked and is in the vicinity of the airport,” an air traffic controller urgently warned pilots in the area, according to a chilling audio clip obtained by CNN. “Just in case anything starts heading toward [you], you have the ability to move at your discretion.”

In total, nine incoming commercial flights were diverted, hundreds of passengers were left stranded, and others sat grounded on the tarmac amid the unfolding chaos.

The drama began around 1:30 p.m. when officials at Victoria International Airport (YYJ) reported a Cessna operated by the Victoria Flying Club had been stolen under suspicious circumstances.

“Investigators have determined the suspect acted with an ideological motive to disrupt airspace,” said Sgt. Tammy Lobb of the RCMP’s Federal Policing Pacific Region. “Thankfully, no one was injured during this incident.”

Cassim reportedly threatened a flight instructor before taking off in the Cessna and flying roughly 40 miles to the mainland. The aircraft loitered above Vancouver’s highly restricted airport airspace before eventually landing safely around 1:45 p.m., where RCMP officers were waiting.

He was arrested without incident and charged with one count of hijacking, a rare charge under Canadian law that reflects the serious nature of the airborne intrusion.

Paul Heeny, a witness near the airport, told CBC that he noticed something wasn’t right almost immediately.
“The plane was flying lower than usual. Then it came back around again in a slow, wide turn. I thought the pilot might be in trouble,” he said.

Behind the scenes, airport staff and air traffic controllers sprang into action to prevent a possible disaster.

“It could’ve gone very differently,” said one aviation expert familiar with the incident. “You’re dealing with an unauthorized aircraft in a controlled airspace, and for several minutes, no one knew what his intentions were.”

Garry Begg, British Columbia’s public safety minister, applauded the joint response from local police, federal agencies, and air traffic authorities.

“Relieved that no one was physically harmed, the plane landed safely, and air travel resumed,” Begg said in a statement. “This was a textbook example of coordination during a potentially dangerous situation.”

Little is known about the suspect, but police sources say the case is being investigated as a possible national security incident.
Authorities have not disclosed Cassim’s motive but hinted at ideological reasons, leaving open the possibility of federal terrorism-related charges in the future.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the investigation is still in its “early stages”, and additional charges may be forthcoming.

This incident comes just months after another high-profile airplane hijacking case in Central America, where a knife-wielding American was fatally shot by authorities in Belize after taking over a small domestic aircraft.

While rare, unauthorized aircraft entering restricted airspace pose a serious threat, particularly near major international airports.