A Cathay Pacific (CX) plane from Hongkong to Vancouver had to be escorted by two fighter jets to Vancouver International Airport, following a bomb threat, which turned out to be a hoax.
CX flight 838, an Airbus 340 plane carrying 283 passengers, landed safely at 0437 Hongkong time yesterday and parked in a remote secure area of the airport for thorough security search. No explosives were found.
While the plane was on its way to Canada, the Vancouver Airport Authority received an anonymous bomb threat involving the airline's return CX839 flight from Vancouver to Hongkong.
"Cathay Pacific would like to express our sincere appreciation to Canada's Department of Defense, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and all the personnel at Vancouver International Airport for their help and support in handling the case," CX management said in a statement. "It is due in no small measure to their professionalism and rapid response that everyone on the board the flight felt safe and undisturbed by the bomb hoax."
The same A340 aircraft was later cleared by the Vancouver airport and security authorities to depart for Hongkong. The departure time was delayed from 0605 to 1034 Hongkong time.
Gigi Onag
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