Vancouver Airport Hijack: Ex-Pilot Declares Himself ‘Messenger of Allah’ in Bizarre Incident
A former pilot hijacked a small plane in Canada, disrupting Vancouver’s airport to highlight climate change, claiming divine inspiration. The incident, resolved without harm, revealed his history of environmental activism and raised concerns about mental health and security.
On July 15, a dramatic incident unfolded in Canada when Shaheer Cassim, a 39-year-old former commercial pilot, hijacked a Cessna 172 from Victoria International Airport, triggering a security crisis at Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Cassim, who threatened a flight instructor to seize control of the aircraft, flew approximately 60 kilometers before circling YVR’s airspace, causing a 39-minute shutdown of the airport and diverting nine flights to alternate destinations.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) scrambled F-15 fighter jets to intercept the plane, which landed safely at 1:45 p.m., allowing Richmond RCMP to arrest Cassim without incident. “Investigators have determined the suspect acted with an ideological motive to disrupt airspace,” said Sgt. Tammy Lobb of the RCMP. No injuries were reported, and B.C. Premier David Eby called the resolution a “testament” to the responders’ skill, describing the event as a “bizarre moment.”
Cassim, who posted on Facebook the day before, claimed, “I am a messenger of Allah. I am the Messiah sent to save humanity from climate change and usher in an era of world peace,” asserting that “the Angel Gabriel appeared before me and gave me a message from Allah.” His posts warned of “abrupt runaway global warming” leading to human extinction, tying his actions to his role as “Sam Carana,” editor of the Arctic News blog, which has over 4,000 followers and features technical posts on Arctic climate change since 2011.
Former employers at KD Air, where Cassim worked from 2008 to 2010, described him as “one of the smartest and best pilots” but noted he left after growing “bored” and believed “the world was coming to an end.” “Something would have to be going on that’s not normal,” said Lars Banke, with Diana Banke adding, “He never spoke religion with us.” A doctor sharing Cassim’s surname suggested he struggled with mental health issues, neglected by the system. Social media reactions on X were intense, with one user stating, “This guy’s climate messiah stunt could’ve killed people, lock him up!” Cassim faces charges of hijacking and terrorism, with a court appearance set for July 22.