Newsworld, in Canada, is reporting that a Korean 747 has been escorted to Whitehorse, in the Yukon, by two CF-18 jet fighters, under suspicion of being a hijacked aircraft. Also, all outgoing flights from Canadian airports have been cancelled. Diverted aircraft are landing under heavy security. Thirty aircraft originating form Asia are being diverted to Vancouver where the nearly 6000 passengers will be individually searched. http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/view.cgi?/news/2001/09/11/can_travel010911
The plane apparently wasn't hijacked, and they haven't told us what made them concerned. Suspect 747 escorted down in Yukon WebPosted Tue Sep 11 15:44:33 2001 TORONTO - Schools and government offices in Whitehorse, Yukon were evacuated Tuesday as jet fighters escorted two commercial airliners to unscheduled landings, after aviation authorities suspected one of the aircraft may have been hijacked. One of the airliners is a Korean Airlines 747, the other an unknown 747. Both landed at Whitehorse airport. The jet fighters continue to circle over Whitehorse. Peter Novak of CBC Radio in Whitehorse told CBC News Online that aviation authorities said one of the aircraft may have been hijacked. Novak said highways in and out of town may have been closed, and a bomb squad was at the airport. The identified Korean aircraft is believed to have been low on fuel and was redirected to Whitehorse. Canadian transportation officials have also shut down all airports in Canada indefinitely as U.S.-bound international flights arrive on Canadian runways. All domestic and international flights have been grounded as a precautionary measure after a series of attacks on high-profile targets in the United States. Transportation Minister David Collenette says Canada is taking security very seriously and will be carefully monitoring the situation. Prime Minister Jean Chretien has condemned what he called a "cowardly attack" south of the border and pledged full assistance to the U.S. He assured Canadians to remain calm, noting that the government was increasing security. Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs has issued a phone number for anyone worried about friends or family in the New York area. Spokesperson Marie Lilkoff says Canadians can call 1-800-387-3124 for information. U.S. flights diverted to Canada The United States Federal Aviation Authority had earlier ordered all international flights to the United States to be diverted to Canada. Airports throughout Atlantic Canada are beginning to receive a large influx of flights. Moncton, N.B., and St. John's, Nfld., expect up to 25 diverted planes, and CFB Goose Bay in Labrador expects close to 60 unscheduled landings. Halifax airport says they currently have 23 planes on the ground and expect 27 more. The RCMP will search all of the passengers' luggage and they will be transported to large sports facilities in the city for the night. All the hotels in Halifax are full. Passengers arriving in St. John's will be put up in hotels, conference centres and private homes. Many Toronto residents are also offering their homes to travellers stranded at Pearson Airport. "All Canadian airspace has been closed other than for inbound overseas flights," said Calgary Airport Authority spokesperson Mike Cunnington. Effects across Canada All Canadian border traffic to New York state is limited. Border guards are on high alert and inspecting all vehicles, said Serge Charette, national president for the customs union. He says travellers with a valid reason to be in either country will be allowed through. The Chief of Maritime staff in Halifax has ordered a lock-down and has posted guards at the gates the navy dockyards and the Shearwater air base. The rocket-proof gates of the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa were surrounded by police cruisers and plain-clothes officers. Public Affairs officer Buck Shenkman says security will increase, but the embassy will remain open. The Canadian Blood Services is urging people to contact their local donor branch in a cross-country effort for blood donations to ship to emergency centres in the U.S. In Ontario, Premier Mike Harris offered his province's full support to the U.S. government, including medical support. Many office complexes in Toronto allowed their employees to leave work as a precaution, jamming subways and the downtown train station. The CN Tower has also been shut down. The CN tower belongs to the World Federation of Tall Towers, along with the World Trade Centre and the two work together frequently. "Quite a few of CN Tower staff work with World Trade Center staff. There was a lot of back and forth travel in the last month. We both belong to the same industry association and this tragedy has hit us personally," commented Bud Purves, President and GM of the CN Tower.
There are currently already twenty-something planes at St. John's airport. Earlier today there was even a bomb threat; for a while, it was thought that one of the planes had a bomb onboard. Security has been stepped up astronomically. People are being kept in their planes and must undergo thourough searching and "processing" (whatever that is) before being allowed to disembark. The process is expected to take so long that some passengers won't be able to leave their planes until <b>next morning</b>(!). This is especially bad considering we're currently going through a major heat wave. Yesterday, it got all the way up to 98 degrees F. It must be very uncomfortable on those planes. As it stands right now, every hotel in the city of St. John's is already filled. The Salvation Army and other organizations are doing their best to house and feed the rest. I don't know how they're going to handle everyone.
