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CanJet Flight 918

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CanJet Flight 918
Attempted hijacking
Date19 April 2009
SummaryAttempted hijacking
SiteSangster International Airport, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Aircraft
Aircraft typeBoeing 737-800 [1]
OperatorCanJet
RegistrationC-FTCZ [2]
Flight originSangster International Airport, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Passengers174
Crew8
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CanJet Flight 918 (CJA 918, C6 918) was a flight on 19 April 2009 that was seized for hours by an armed lone hijacker at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, Jamaica, the only Jamaican based hijacking of an aircraft.

The flight was originally scheduled to leave Sangster International Airport (MBJ) at 11:00pm on 19 April 2009, for Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ), due for arrival at 7:15am on 20 April 2009. [3] The airline, CanJet, is a Canadian airline. All of the passengers and crew were Canadian. [4]

The only other time a Canadian airliner was hijacked was on December 26, 1971, an Air Canada DC-9. [5]

This is the first incidence of a hijacking originating on Jamaican soil. [6]

Hijacking

At 22:30 local time on 19 April 2009 (05:30 UTC 20 April 2009),[7] CanJet Flight 918 was boarded by a lone armed hijacker, 20-year old Stephen Fray of Montego Bay.[8] He is reported as having demanded to be taken to Cuba. The passengers were released, but the hijacker held five crew hostage while negotiations continued. The negotiators included the hijacker's father and Bruce Golding, Prime Minister of Jamaica.[9] The hijacker is reported to have gained access to the aircraft by using false identification papers.[10] At the time of the hijacking, there were 174 passengers and 8 crew aboard the aircraft,[11] a Boeing 737-800[1] registration C-FTCZ.[2]

Passengers report that they were able to buy their way off the plane, by each offering all of their money. [12] Passenger Brenda Grenier reported that the gunman, calling himself Rico, was convinced to let the passengers go in exchange for their money by a flight attendant. [13]

After negotiations by PM Golding and the hijacker's father broke down, the police were ordered to take the plane.[14] At around 06:40 local time (13:40 UTC), the Jamaica Defence Force Counter Terrorism Operations Group members stormed the plane and took the gunman into custody. [12][13][15][16][17][18] The gunman, Stephen Fray, is reported to be "mentally challenged".[8] Two special operations operatives entered through the cockpit window, and replaced the copilot. One of the operatives, impersonating the copilot, met with and overpowered the hijacker.[19]

Reactions

At the time of the hijacking, the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, was on a state visit to Jamaica. When informed of the hijacking, and release of some hostages, he offered the use of the governmental jet that he flew to Jamaica on, to fly the passengers back to Canada. [20]

Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a security analyst for CTV News, and former CSIS officer, expressed concern over airport security in Jamaica, given the state visit by the Canadian Prime Minister at the time of the hijacking. He gave the opinion that security should have been on high alert due to the state visit occurring. [13]

The Jamaica Observer reports concerns in Jamaica have been raised over the privatized airport security's quality. The security was run by a consortium, MBJ Airports Ltd., headed by Canadian firm Vancouver Airport Services [21] (25% stakeholder) [22], and also having Abertis as a partner.[23]

Aftermath

CanJet sent an aircraft from its Montreal hub to retrieve passengers from Montego Bay to fly them back to Canada. [24]

Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding ordered an investigation into how an armed gunman got aboard the airliner, and issued an apology to the passengers and crew of Flight 918,[14] passed on an offer of a one week vacation in Jamaica given by the Sandals resort.[25] Jamaican Transport Minister Mike Henry has also ordered a security review, which will cover both MBJ, and Norman Manley International Airport in the capital Kingston, Jamaica. [26]

The Airline Pilots Assocation (ALPA) has commended the crew for their efforts in thwarting the skyjacking.[27]

References

  1. ^ a b CanJet press release by Kent Woodside, Vice President and General Manager, CanJet Airlines at April 20, 2009 07:30 AM ADT
  2. ^ a b "Incident: Canjet B738 at Montego Bay on Apr 19th 2009, hijacker on board". The Aviation Herald. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  3. ^ CanJet website, flight status page, accessed 20 April 2009 at 7:45am EDT
  4. ^ Mike Blanchfield, "Jamaican police nab airline hijacker" The Gazette (Montreal) (CanWest News Service), 20 April 2009 (accessed 21 April 2009)
  5. ^ Ashley Terry "Terror in the sky", Global News, April 20, 2009 (accessed 21 April 2009)
  6. ^ Janet Silvera, "Never again - Golding orders hijacking probe - Government of Jamaica tackles airport security", The Gleaner (Kingston), Tuesday, April 21, 2009 (accessed 21 April 2009)
  7. ^ "Jamaica plane hijack: Passengers released but crew remain hostage". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  8. ^ a b USA Today, "Plane hijacker captured in Jamaica's Montego Bay", Associated Press, 2009 April 20, 9:00am EDT (accessed 20 April 2009 @ 10:00am EDT)
  9. ^ "Jamaican hostage-taker makes Cuba demand". CNN. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  10. ^ "Caribbean Hijack: Plane Crew Taken Hostage". Sky News. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  11. ^ "CanJet Travel Advisory". CanJet Website. Retrieved 20 April 2009 9:27am. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. ^ a b CBC Newsworld, CBC News Morning, 20 April 2009
  13. ^ a b c CTV NewsNet, Morning Show, 20 April 2009
  14. ^ a b Prime Ministerial Press Conference by Bruce Golding and Stephen Harper (PM Jamaica & PM Canada) - 12:00pm noon 20 April 2009
  15. ^ CBC News, "Hijacker in custody, Canadian crew released: Jamaican police", 20 April 2009, 8:06 AM ET (accessed 20 April 2009 @ 8:20AM ET)
  16. ^ CTV News, "Gunman on CanJet plane now in custody, reports say", 20 April 2009 8:13 AM ET (accessed 20 April 2009 @ 8:20AM ET)
  17. ^ Mike Blanchfield, "Jamaican airline standoff ends; gunman captured", The Gazette (Montreal), (CanWest News Service), 20 April 2009 8:16 AM (accessed 20 April 2009 @ 8:20AM ET)
  18. ^ Constabulary Communication Network, "Police Statement on Hijacker Surrender", 20 April 2009 7:42:34 AM (accessed 20 April 2009 @ 9:45 AM EDT)
  19. ^ Mike Blanchfield "Commandoes secretly entered cockpit window", National Post, (CanWest News Service), 21 April 2009 (accessed 21 April 2009)
  20. ^ Mike Blanchfield, "Jamaican airline standoff enters eighth hour; crew held hostage", The Gazette (Montreal) (CanWest News Service), 20 April 2009 7:07am (accessed 7:45am 20 April 2009)
  21. ^ "Montego Bay Hijacker Surrenders", Jamaica Observer, 20 April 2009 7:00:40 AM (accessed 20 April 2009 @ 9:30am EDT)
  22. ^ Toronto Star, "B.C. firm linked to airport", Bruce Campion-Smith & Tonda MacCharles, 21 April 2009 (accessed 25 April 2009)
  23. ^ Toronto Star, "Workers 'followed procedures' in allowing hijacker on plane", Andrew Chung, 22 April 2009 (accessed 25 April 2009)
  24. ^ CanJet Press Conference, 9:00am EDT 20 April 2009
  25. ^ Mark Cummings, "Sandals Offers One-Week Holiday to CanJet Passengers, Crew", Jamaica Observer, 21 April 2009 (accessed 21 April 2009)
  26. ^ Karyl Walker, Jamaica Observer, "Airport Security to be Revamped", 21 April 2009 (accessed 21 April 2009)
  27. ^ ALPA, "ALPA Commends CanJet Flight 918 Crew", 21 April 2009
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