A 39-year-old Canadian man, Shaheer Cassim, has been charged with hijacking a small Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP (reg. C-GTLF) from the Victoria Flying Club and committing an act constituting terrorism, after taking control of the plane from a flight instructor at Victoria International Airport and flying it to Vancouver. The incident prompted NORAD to scramble F-15 fighter jets before the plane landed safely at Vancouver International Airport.
Authorities say Cassim acted with an ideological motive to disrupt airspace. Social media posts linked to him describe apocalyptic climate warnings, religious visions, and claims that he is a “messenger of Allah” sent to save humanity from climate change. He also claimed to be “Sam Carana,” a blogger behind the Arctic News website focused on extreme climate change scenarios.
Cassim had previously worked as a pilot for a small airline and later reportedly attended medical school. His former employers described him as smart and capable but expressed surprise at the incident.
The hijacking briefly shut down Vancouver airport operations, diverting nine flights and grounding others for 39 minutes. Officials praised emergency responders for resolving the situation without injuries or further disruption.