El Al jet diverted in Canada after security threat ( 2003-10-24 09:09) (Agencies)
An Israeli airliner was diverted twice in Canada
on Thursday after an unspecified threat to the plane and to Canada's biggest
airport, authorities said.
The El Al jet was bound for Toronto from Tel Aviv and was forced to land
first in Montreal, and then again in Hamilton, Ontario, to allow some passengers
off.
"Sometime in flight, a threat was received," said Ken Mitchell, a spokesman
for Hamilton International Airport. "The threat included the Toronto airport and
the aircraft."
He added: "We don't know the nature of the threat, we don't know how it was
transmitted or who received it. But the threat was taken seriously and the plane
was originally diverted to Montreal."
The jet then landed in Hamilton, an industrial town about 60 km (40 miles)
outside Toronto, on Thursday morning before continuing to Los Angeles at 1:45
p.m. EDT (1745 GMT).
Mitchell said passengers scheduled to fly to Los Angeles from Toronto were
brought to Hamilton by bus from Toronto's Pearson International Airport -- the
country's busiest -- because the threat made a reference to the airport.
In Ottawa, Canadian Transport Minister David Collenette said there were 193
people on board the plane.
"We had information there was a specific threat against this El Al flight and
therefore we ordered the pilot to immediately land at Mirabel (airport in
Montreal)," he told reporters. "The threat was at Pearson airport and that is
why the flight was asked to land at Mirabel.."
Collenette said the plane flew to Los Angeles without incident and the
incident did not affect any flights at Toronto's Pearson airport.
Collenette added the incident is being investigated by the Canadian Security
Intelligence Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
An El Al statement from Israel confirmed the Toronto airport control tower
had ordered the plane, which was carrying 180 passengers, be rerouted to
Montreal due to a "security request." It gave no other details. Officials at
Pearson airport were not immediately available for comment.