From Fox News: A stolen plane triggered a major security incident at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) on Tuesday afternoon, temporarily halting operations and forcing multiple flights to reroute.
Just before 1:30 p.m. local time on July 15, a “security incident” involving a small private plane led to a temporary halt in airport operations, according to a statement from YVR. The plane, flying within YVR’s airspace, forced nine incoming flights to reroute to different airports.
At approximately 1:45 p.m., following a 39-minute air traffic suspension, the Cessna 172, operated by a single individual, safely landed. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) then apprehended the pilot.
In an air traffic control recording obtained by the Vancouver Sun via LiveATC.net, a controller alerted other pilots: “We do have an aircraft that has been hijacked and is in the vicinity of the airport … just in case anything starts heading toward [you], you have the ability to move at your discretion.”
As the stolen plane continued to zip around overhead, air traffic controllers told grounded aircraft, “We’re not certain what will happen next. The aircraft continues to circle above, and its intentions remain unknown. For now, we are holding position.”
The plane was reportedly stolen from the Victoria International Airport in British Columbia, and was flown about 40 miles to the Vancouver.
The suspect was later identified as Shaheer Cassim, 39, of Canada.
ABC News quoted Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt. Tammy Lobb as saying, “Investigators have determined the suspect acted with an ideological motive to disrupt airspace.” ABC News wrote:
A man with the same name and who resembles Cassim posted on social media that he was a “messenger of Allah” and a “Messiah” sent to save humanity from climate change.
He said “the Angel Gabriel appeared before me and gave me a message from Allah.”
According to Cassim’s Facebook profile, he was employed from 2008 to 2010 by now-defunct KD Air, a small airline based on Vancouver Island, ABC reported.
VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA – The day before the suspected hijacking of a light aircraft triggered a security scare at Vancouver’s airport this week, former commercial pilot Shaheer Cassim posted on social media that he was a “messenger of Allah” sent to save humanity from climate… pic.twitter.com/nHiHF7FfXH
— Canadian Crime Watch (@CrimeWatchCAN) July 17, 2025
Pilot with ‘ideological motive’ steals small aircraft and disrupts major international airport operations https://t.co/U7qcySxi2d
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 18, 2025
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