SAA says probe will be conducted into false hijacking notification

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

South African Airways says an investigation will be conducted into the origins of a false hijacking notification that went out on Tuesday, prompting Port Elizabeth police into action at the city's airport.

SAA spokesperson, Tlali Tlali, says SAA flight 417 was met at the airport by police and other emergency response teams.

The plane was spotted in a corner of the tarmac with armed police in close attendance.

Tlali told Algoa FM News that these units had responded on the basis of a hijack notification, which turned out to be false.

"We remain deeply concerned that the incident occurred. South African Airways as an airline will offer its full and unconditional cooperation with any agency that will conduct an investigation into the matter in order for all of us to establish the real origins of this particular false notification."

Colin Naidoo of the Airports Company South Africa said the plane landed safely and no passengers were injured.

He said the return flight to Johannesburg had been delayed because of the emergency.

"A scheduled aircraft from Johannesburg to PE experienced a problem and the phase was escalated to a Phase 2 which resulted in us ensuring that emergency services and the police were informed to be on standby," he said.

"The aircraft landed safely and the police had to do the necessary checks with the aircraft and at this stage the investigation will be conducted by the Civil Aviation Authority and the airline concerned," said Naidoo.

Meanwhile, the emergency played out at the same time time that former US president Bill Clinton's plane landed for his brief visit to Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.

The Clinton entourage appeared to be unaware of the drama on the other side of the airport tarmac when he and daughter Chelsea boarded busses and other transport to the Ubuntu Education Centre in Zwide, Port Elizabeth.

The Centre is one of the Clinton Foundation Projects in South Africa.