Package with incendiary item, surplus military supplies shuts down Victoria airport
The discovery of a suspicious package forced the shutdown of Victoria International Airport on Tuesday, stranding hundreds of travellers and prompting the cancellation of most flights.
In all, about 20 flights were cancelled between 2:30 and 8:30 p.m.
"As always, the security and safety of our staff and visitors is our priority," said Geoff Dickson, Victoria Airport Authority president and CEO, in a statement.
"The RCMP determined that there was potential risk to airport staff and passengers and directed that parts of the air terminal building close."
Earlier, Cpl. Andres Sanchez of the Sidney-North Saanich RCMP told reporters something that "resembled an incendiary device" was found inside a bag at around 1:30 p.m., during security screening in the airport's departures area.
"Employees performed the checks that they normally do," Sanchez said. "They scanned the bag and realized that there was items inside that could be of a dangerous nature, and at that point police were called to the scene to investigate further."
The passenger who carried the bag into the airport is under investigation as well, according to the RCMP. Sanchez said it was too early to comment on possible charges.
A specialized team was brought over from the mainland to transport the suspicious package out of the airport and determine what's inside.
In a statement, Vancouver International Airport told CTV News it was monitoring the situation, and was "working with (its) partners to accommodate any diverted aircraft."
At about 8 p.m., an update was issued saying the issue was resolved and the airport had reopened.
"The call for service is confirmed to have been an incendiary item and inert surplus military supplies contained in checked baggage," a statement issued by the airport after the incident was resolved said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.