Federal police say a 39-year-old man has been charged from the Victoria International Airport on Tuesday (July 15).
Shaheer Cassim, 39, faces one charge of hijacking, according to a news release from the RCMP Integrated National Security Enforcement Team on Wednesday. Cassim remains in custody, with his next court appearance scheduled for July 22.
The release says that while at the Victoria International Airport on Tuesday, it's alleged Cassim "threatened a flight instructor and successfully hijacked a Cessna plane by taking control of the aircraft."
The federal RCMP's Pacific Region media relations officer Sgt. Tammy Lobb said investigators have determined that the suspect "acted with an ideological motive to disrupt airspace."
Police received a report Tuesday that a small passenger aircraft, a Cessna 172, had reportedly been hijacked from the Vancouver Island area and was entering into airspace near the Vancouver International Airport around 1:10 p.m., according to a previous news release from Richmond RCMP.
The suspect was the only occupant on the plane.
Richmond RCMP said the plane safely landed at Vancouver International Airport at 1:45 p.m. and Richmond RCMP officers arrested the suspect "without incident."
The federal RCMP's Pacific Region is working with Victoria International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, Nav Canada and Transport Canada. Police added the investigation is still in the early stages.
