Man Attempts To Hijack Plane In Jamaica

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (left) and Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding (right) reaffirm the two countries ties and their mutual goal of free trade.

In what is Jamaica's first airline incident, a 21-year-old local man, Stephen Fray, attempted to hijack a Canjet airplane on the tarmac, that was headed to Cuba from Canada. The isolated incident occurred at a private airport in Montego Bay.

It is believed the young man was distraught over his girlfriend, who lives in South Florida. So, you try to hijack a whole plane! Dude, you couldn't have bought a ticket like everyone else.  

Seriously, I'm glad no one was injured and the military was able to contain the situation. Well done to them.

Sandals, has offered the passengers an all expense paid one week vacation in Jamaica at any of their resorts, while the government has offered to cover any expenses they incurred due to the incident. A number of passengers have agreed to take them up on the offer.

The Toronto Star described Prime Minister Stephen Harper's visit, "After receiving a warm, witty welcome from Golding in parliament later yesterday Harper paid tribute to Jamaica's development, the "deep friendship" between the two countries and the contribution Jamaican-born artists, entrepreneurs and sports figures have made to Canadian society, where some 300,000 people have Jamaican ties." (LINK)

Canadian hostage drama in Jamaica ends peacefully

Tue Apr 21, 2009 3:28am BST - KINGSTON (Reuters) - A would-be hijacker surrendered to authorities on Monday after agreeing to free the last of more than 180 hostages he seized hours earlier aboard a Canadian charter jet in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

The suspect, armed with a .38-calibre revolver and described as "a troubled young man," surrendered peacefully to heavily armed police and soldiers who stormed the CanJet plane he had commandeered at Sangster International Airport in the Caribbean nation's prime tourist resort, authorities said.

Identified by police as Stephen Fray, a Montego Bay resident who is about 20 years old, had demanded to be flown to Cuba after breaching security about 10 p.m. on Sunday (4 a.m. British time on Monday) to force his way aboard the CanJet charter....

It came as Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was in Jamaica on a previously scheduled visit following his attendance at the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago over the weekend.

Fray initially freed two crew members and all 174 passengers from the plane as it sat on a tarmac at Sangster, which Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding said had been privatized and therefore was responsible for its own security.

After hours of tense negotiations, personally overseen by Golding and his national security minister, Dwight Nelson, Fray agreed to free his six remaining crew-member hostages, according to Jamaican Information Minister Daryl Vaz. Continued...

CUBA OR EUROPE?

"This is the case of a troubled young man," Vaz told CNN. "He definitely has had some mental challenges. "Originally, his demands were to be flown to Cuba because the flight actually was going to Cuba and then back to Halifax. That really was his demand," Vaz said.

He later said Fray had an apparent change of heart about flying to communist Cuba and changed his request to Europe...

But Vaz stressed in his comments to reporters that Fray's actions represented "an isolated case" in the Caribbean nation, which is heavily dependent on tourism.

"This is not an act of terrorism and should not be seen as such," Vaz said. "The military and police were able to take the man into custody in a peaceful manner."...

Harper told a joint news conference with Golding in Montego Bay he was delighted at how the standoff ended without bloodshed.

"Today is a day to be truly joyful. It's very rare that we have events like this that end so well," he said.

Later in a speech to Jamaica's Parliament, Harper praised Jamaican security forces.

"I speak on behalf of the people of Canada when I say that we are tremendously grateful for the outcome of today's events. It was tremendous work on the part of Jamaica's security forces, for which we will always be grateful," he said to thunderous applause.

The Jamaican government said it would compensate passengers for cash or other valuables they forked over to the would-be hijacker, some in an apparent bid to win their safe release.

http://uk.reuters.com

MONTEGO BAY, St James - Sandals Resorts International yesterday offered a one-week all expense paid vacation to the 159 passengers and eight crew members of the CanJet airline that was hijacked at the Sangster International Airport Sunday night.

The gesture was announced by Sandals CEO Adam Stewart during a visit to the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort in this resort city where some of the passengers and crew were being housed, following the ordeal.

Last night Stewart, who said the package would cost the hotel chain US$600,000, noted that the offer can be taken up at any of its properties across the island.

"We want to make this kind gesture on behalf of our team members and in fact, on behalf of all of Jamaicans," Stewart told the Observer...

Yesterday, Prime Minister Bruce Golding, as well as Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who were present when the announcement was made, commended the hotel chain for the gesture.

Both leaders expressed the hope that the passengers and crew would take up the offer.

A number of passengers who spoke with the Observer thanked the hotel chain for the gesture and pledged to take up the offer.

"I am really looking forward to coming back to Jamaica for that vacation," said Guy Pelletier, a resident of New Brunswick, Canada...

The hijacker was later captured by a Jamaica Defence Force Counter Terrorism unit after an eight-hour stand-off.

No one was hurt during the ordeal.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com