On Tuesday afternoon, chaos briefly erupted at Vancouver International Airport after a man allegedly stole a Cessna 172 from Victoria International Airport and flew it across the Strait of Georgia. The incident began around 1:10 p.m. PDT when the Victoria Flying Club reported one of its aircraft missing. Air traffic control quickly tracked the plane as it entered the busy Vancouver airspace.
About 35 minutes after taking off, the aircraft circled and then landed near one of the major runways at Vancouver International. Police moved in with weapons drawn and arrested the suspect next to the aircraft, which appeared undamaged. No injuries were reported.
The event triggered an emergency protocol at the airport, forcing a 39-minute ground stop for arriving flights and causing about a dozen diversions and multiple delays. "Flights are now operating normally," the airport stated in a post on X at around 3 p.m. Authorities have not released the name of the suspect, who remains in custody pending a court appearance.
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