El Al Plane Forced to Land in Hamilton, Ontario

Threats force El Al flight to divert to Hamilton
Israeli aircraft ultimately bound for Los Angeles

CANADIAN PRESS

HAMILTON – Tactical police teams rushed this morning to meet an Israeli passenger jet that was diverted to Hamilton amid undisclosed threats to the plane and its intended destination – Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, an airport official said.

The El Al flight was en route to Toronto from Israel when it made the emergency stop at John C. Munroe International Airport in Hamilton at 11 a.m., said airport spokesperson Ken Mitchell.

“We don’t know the nature of the threat, but a threat was made to this aircraft and to the Toronto airport,” Mitchell told CHCH-TV.

“For precautionary reasons, this flight was diverted first to Montreal while in flight.”

The plane was then sent to Hamilton so that its Toronto-bound passengers could disembark and continue their journey by bus.

The aircraft was ultimately bound for Los Angeles, said Mitchell. Passengers headed to California were to remain on the plane while connecting passengers from Toronto were to be brought in by bus to join the flight.

Mitchell couldn’t say if the threat came from onboard the aircraft or elsewhere.

“We do know that the threat was made while the aircraft was in flight and we know that the threat was made to this aircraft and to the airport,” he said.

“We don’t know the nature of the threat or how that threat was transmitted.”

He said there was “high police security” at the scene. All other airport operations were to continue uninterrupted, he said.

Mitchell added that he had not received any information from police or government agencies about the threat.