Specialised police units descended on Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria on Monday after a hijacking alert was raised for an SA Airlink flight from Cape Town though the airline said the warning was "an anomaly".
The camouflage-donning Special Task Force and the police Air Wing arrived at the scene and pulled on their gear. A section of the airport was cordoned and police rushed in as television crews, including one from the SABC, filmed. Members of the Tshwane Metro Police Department and paramedics were also at hand.
Anxious members of the public were peeping towards the runway where one large aircraft could be seen.
There was no movement around the plane. SA Airlink said the 72 passengers who were still in the plane were safe.
"Airlink can confirm all 72 passengers and four crew members are safely on the ground at Wonderboom Airport," said an Airlink worker, who would not give here name and said she could not provide any more details.
She said flight SA 8678 arrived safely at its destination.
Panic ensued earlier Monday when social media when reports surfaced of an apparent hijacking of the flight.
– African News Agency (ANA)
