CASPER
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Plane carrying about 40 passengers from hijacked aircraft returns to Canada
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By John Lewandowski, The Canadian Press
HALIFAX, N.S. - There were hugs, kisses and tears of relief after about 40 of the 159 passengers who were on a CanJet plane that was hijacked in Jamaica returned home early Tuesday.
About 150 family and friends were on hand as the passengers entered the arrivals terminal at Halifax Stanfield International Airport shortly after midnight to an emotional welcome.
One husband grabbed his wife as she came through the door, hugged her tightly, and said: "Thank God you're safe."
A 13-year-old girl who had been vacationing with another family burst into tears when she spotted several family members carrying signs adorned with hearts.
She was swept up by her mother and other hugging, kissing relatives and quickly whisked from the terminal.
Brenda Grenier of Dartmouth, N.S., had just boarded CanJet Flight 918 in Montego Bay with her daughter late Sunday when a man armed with a gun stormed onto the plane.
"I think he was really high on drugs," said Grenier, who was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a Jamaica flag, and her blonde hair braided in corn rows.
"He wanted to go to the U.S. and didn't realize our plane was going to Canada. He was not a nice man."
Grenier cried when she was met at the airport by her husband, Jean-Marc, who said the stress of the day had been difficult to endure.
"Obviously, not being able to be there to comfort her in the moment of crisis ... it was very worrisome," he said.
Leanne Shaddock of Hatchett Lake, N.S., was seated at the back of the plane with her three daughters - Rayne, 8; Brooke, 9; and Bryanna, 13 - when the hijacking began.
The four were huddling in fear on the floor of the plane when a shot rang out up front.
"He was getting mad at the pilot because he wouldn't co-operate," explained Bryanna. "He was like, 'I want to go to America now."'
At the sound of the gun, the girl said, "it went crazy."
"Everybody started to cry. Everybody was fine before that, but then, like, we knew he was serious and not joking around. I wasn't crying or anything. I didn't know what to do."
The passengers and two crewmembers were released about 45 minutes after the hijacking began but the remaining six crew weren't freed until a Jamaican tactical team stormed the plane Monday morning to arrest the gunman.
The crew returned home on a separate flight that landed at Halifax airport late Monday night.
"They were positive but understandably very tired and emotional," CanJet said of the crew in a release.
"At the request of the RCMP, the crew will be made available to give statements later today. For the time being, the crew is respectfully declining media interviews."
CanJet said it had representatives at the airport to offer assistance to passengers as they arrived. The RCMP had earlier offered counselling for anyone who might need it.
An ambulance was on the tarmac as the plane pulled up to the gate and a 31-year-old male passenger with a pre-existing medical condition was taken to hospital.
There was no word on his status.
Many of the passengers from the hijacking remained in Jamaica for their vacations or continued on to resorts in Cuba.
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By John Lewandowski, The Canadian Press
HALIFAX, N.S. - There were hugs, kisses and tears of relief after about 40 of the 159 passengers who were on a CanJet plane that was hijacked in Jamaica returned home early Tuesday.
About 150 family and friends were on hand as the passengers entered the arrivals terminal at Halifax Stanfield International Airport shortly after midnight to an emotional welcome.
One husband grabbed his wife as she came through the door, hugged her tightly, and said: "Thank God you're safe."
A 13-year-old girl who had been vacationing with another family burst into tears when she spotted several family members carrying signs adorned with hearts.
She was swept up by her mother and other hugging, kissing relatives and quickly whisked from the terminal.
Brenda Grenier of Dartmouth, N.S., had just boarded CanJet Flight 918 in Montego Bay with her daughter late Sunday when a man armed with a gun stormed onto the plane.
"I think he was really high on drugs," said Grenier, who was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a Jamaica flag, and her blonde hair braided in corn rows.
"He wanted to go to the U.S. and didn't realize our plane was going to Canada. He was not a nice man."
Grenier cried when she was met at the airport by her husband, Jean-Marc, who said the stress of the day had been difficult to endure.
"Obviously, not being able to be there to comfort her in the moment of crisis ... it was very worrisome," he said.
Leanne Shaddock of Hatchett Lake, N.S., was seated at the back of the plane with her three daughters - Rayne, 8; Brooke, 9; and Bryanna, 13 - when the hijacking began.
The four were huddling in fear on the floor of the plane when a shot rang out up front.
"He was getting mad at the pilot because he wouldn't co-operate," explained Bryanna. "He was like, 'I want to go to America now."'
At the sound of the gun, the girl said, "it went crazy."
"Everybody started to cry. Everybody was fine before that, but then, like, we knew he was serious and not joking around. I wasn't crying or anything. I didn't know what to do."
The passengers and two crewmembers were released about 45 minutes after the hijacking began but the remaining six crew weren't freed until a Jamaican tactical team stormed the plane Monday morning to arrest the gunman.
The crew returned home on a separate flight that landed at Halifax airport late Monday night.
"They were positive but understandably very tired and emotional," CanJet said of the crew in a release.
"At the request of the RCMP, the crew will be made available to give statements later today. For the time being, the crew is respectfully declining media interviews."
CanJet said it had representatives at the airport to offer assistance to passengers as they arrived. The RCMP had earlier offered counselling for anyone who might need it.
An ambulance was on the tarmac as the plane pulled up to the gate and a 31-year-old male passenger with a pre-existing medical condition was taken to hospital.
There was no word on his status.
Many of the passengers from the hijacking remained in Jamaica for their vacations or continued on to resorts in Cuba.
