BURST
An incident at Vancouver International Airport is causing a number of flights to be delayed or diverted.
Several police vehicles could be seen on the north runway of YVR Tuesday afternoon, with Mounties’ attention focused on a white Cessna 172 plane.
Something going on at @yvr @GlobalBC @CityofVancouver pic.twitter.com/bYQ1aJBjHh
— Danny (@YyJdaniel) July 15, 2025
Passengers on flights scheduled to arrive at YVR have reported being diverted to other nearby airports, while others say their aircrafts have been in a holding pattern.
One passenger departing YVR posted on social media saying the pilot had announced the airport’s airspace was temporarily closed due to an unauthorized Cessna flying above.
In a recording of air traffic control at YVR, posted to liveatc.net , an official can be heard stating: “We have an incident right above our airspace here — a hijacked 172,” referring to the model of the small aircraft.
“They are flying above us at this time. I cannot give you any further updates, and we are on visual on the aircraft, and just standby for further instructions.”
Then later, air traffic control can be heard telling grounded planes to standby during the incident: “We really don’t know what will happen, but this aircraft is just circling overhead, and we don’t know, of course, their intention, just holding for now.”
According to online flight records, the aircraft is believed to have left Victoria International Airport at 12:56 p.m. Tuesday and is listed as having touched down at YVR at 1:53 p.m.
Flight path records show the plane circled over YVR for some time before landing.
There has been no official word from YVR and Richmond RCMP about the incident. Postmedia has reached out to them for more information.
More to come…