UPDATE: Bomb threat diverts WestJet flight to Saskatoon

On board then the pilots announced they were grounding the aircraft in Saskatoon, frequent flyer Rob Tomlinson said he thought something was up.

“We were getting close to Saskatoon and they said there were some operating issues with the plane and the next thing we know we’re told we’re going to touch down in Saskatoon and that’s all we were told. The first thing that came to my mind was there’s a problem with luggage, something that didn’t pass … I was thinking bomb.”

147 passengers on board were offloaded onto City of Saskatoon transit buses. Police were checking boarding passes and questioning passengers while airport staff handed out bottles of cold water and snacks.

Another passenger on board, Wade Wick, said they never received much information from staff, likely for the best.

“They got us off the plane and got us on a bus, they really didn’t tell us much what was going on, saw the fire trucks coming as we landed so a figure maybe there was a problem with the plane at first,” Wick said. “But when they asked they were going to start checking people i thought it probably wasn’t something wrong with the plane.”

Airport Authority CEO Stephen Maybury said he was getting debriefed by police about the situation, but didn’t have much information about the next steps for passengers. Maybury said in a criminal investigation they shift to a support role for police and for WestJet.

A WestJet spokesperson said all guests have been reacommodated and are leaving later today. Some will go to Edmonton but if there were others going elsewhere beyond Edmonton, the airline may send them on other non-stop flights.

80lb suit… 32 degree weather… Two happy cats… Priceless. Cst Maloney leaving no one behind… #familypets pic.twitter.com/W9zgqOZz7Y

— Saskatoon Police (@SaskatoonPolice) June 27, 2015

fbiber@rawlco.com

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by François Biber

UPDATE: Bomb threat diverts WestJet flight to Saskatoon

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