HCMC – The VN5311 flight of Vietnam Airlines flying from Japan’s Tokyo to Hanoi on January 5 was threatened to be shot down if it flew over Tokyo Bay.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), the flight using the Boeing 787 aircraft departed from the Narita International Airport at 10:30 a.m. with three pilots, 12 flight attendants and 47 passengers on board, the local media reported.
At about 11:10 a.m., the Vietnam Airlines’ office in Japan received a call from a man who said he was American. He said in Japanese that flight VN5311 had better turn back to Narita, otherwise it would be shot down when it flew over Tokyo Bay.
When the receiver of the call asked the man to repeat what he had said, he said he was preparing to shoot the aircraft if it flew over Tokyo Bay and had better turn back.
Right after the call, the Vietnam Airlines’ office in Japan reported the news to the Vietnam Airlines’ headquarters in Vietnam, which then forwarded the call to the Japanese authorities, CAAV and the competent agencies under the Ministry of Public Security.
Vietnam Airlines also summoned a meeting of its emergency and anti-terrorism board.
After getting the approval of Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The, CAAV directed Vietnam Airlines to ask for the Japanese aviation authorities’ permission to land the aircraft at the Fukuoka International Airport.
The aircraft landed safely at Fukuoka at 1.02 p.m. After checking the aircraft and finding no unusual signs, it was allowed to depart from Fukuoka for Hanoi after landing at Fukuoka for two hours.
The flight arrived at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi at 6:12 p.m.
