A former commercial airline pilot has been charged with hijacking and terrorism-related offences following a dramatic incident involving a small aircraft that disrupted operations at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) on Tuesday.
Authorities say the man, identified as Shaheer Cassim, allegedly took control of a Cessna 172 that departed from Victoria shortly before 1 p.m. The aircraft, reportedly operated by the Victoria Flying Club, flew directly to Vancouver and began circling low over the airport, prompting officials to halt all incoming flights for nearly 40 minutes.
Cassim, who has previously been associated with climate activism, was identified in court documents shared by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada. In 2012, he made headlines for launching a cross-country bicycle trek to raise awareness about global warming, identifying himself then as a commercial airline pilot.
Flight radar tracking shows the Cessna circled YVR’s airspace for about 25 minutes before landing around 1:45 p.m. Videos posted on social media show police vehicles swiftly surrounding the plane as it taxied. The pilot, sporting a beard, is seen exiting the aircraft and walking backward toward armed officers.
In response to the situation, NORAD confirmed that F-15 fighter jets were scrambled. Although additional F-18 jets were being prepared, officials say the aircraft landed before any interception occurred. A NORAD spokeswoman said, “An interception did not occur because of the aircraft landing.”
The RCMP have not officially disclosed a motive, but audio recordings from air traffic control suggest the incident may have been a form of protest. In one conversation archived online, a grounded commercial pilot asks why they’re being held at the gate, to which a controller replies that a Cessna is circling about 500 feet above the airport in what appears to be a protest, noting the disruption could last several hours. However, the plane landed roughly 10 minutes later.