17-year-old boy in Yamagata Pref arrested for threatening to shoot down Vietnam Airlines plane

Feb 17, 2022 | News On Japan

Feb 17, 2022 (Japan Today) - Chiba prefectural police have arrested a 17-year-old boy in Yamagata Prefecture on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business after he threatened to shoot down a Vietnam Airlines passenger plane that had departed from Narita International Airport.

According to police, the incident occurred at around 10:55 a.m. on Jan 5 when the Japan branch office for Vietnam Airlines received a threatening phone call, Sankei Shimbun reported. The boy called from his home in Yamagata Prefecture and claimed he was “going to shoot down” Flight VN 5311, so the pilots “should turn the plane around.”

The aircraft, which was on its way to Hanoi, made an emergency landing at Fukuoka Airport to conduct a safety check. The incident caused the flight a delay of around three hours and 40 minutes.

The boy emerged as a suspect after police traced the phone number and he was arrested on Tuesday. Police said the boy has admitted making the phone call.

Police said the boy has a mental disability.

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