A Bahamasair aircraft that was flying from Canada to Raleigh- Durham, N.C. was ordered to land in Long Island, NY Thursday afternoon after federal authorities became concerned that terrorist activity may have been underway. <\/p>\n
Joe Valiquette, an FBI spokesman, told the Bahama Journal Friday morning that there was a miscommunication between the cockpit and the air traffic controllers in Boston. <\/p>\n
According to U.S. press reports, the pilots "refused to reassure the controllers and arrogantly insisted they knew what they were doing."<\/p>\n
Mr. Valiquette said the pilots were asked to identify their aircraft. They reportedly responded with call letters that did not match the plane's electronic responder signal, used to identify the aircraft.<\/p>\n
The plane was forced to land at Islip MacArthur Airport and was met by officials from the FBI and Federal Aviation Administration.<\/p>\n
According to Mr. Valiquette, air traffic controllers decided to ask for military assistance after the miscommunication occurred.<\/p>\n
But the plane had already landed when to Air National Guard F-16 Falcons, on patrol over the Northeastern United States, responded.<\/p>\n
Bahamasair officials were on Friday tight-lipped about the incident, but the pilots – who did not give their names – told U.S. reporters that the confusion arose when "B" in the plane's call numbers was misidentified as a "V." The plane's call number is CB 8FN. <\/p>\n
Mr. Valiquette said two pilots were on Flight 999 but no passengers were onboard.<\/p>\n
"We interviewed them and determined that there was no terrorist or criminal overtones to the matter," he said.<\/p>\n
Captain Charles Beneby, Bahamasair's Chief Operating Officer, said that the airline was "in the midst of an investigation" and would release a statement on the incident in "short order."<\/p>\n
When asked about reports that the pilots acted arrogantly, Mr. Beneby said he did not know that to be the case.<\/p>\n
"We just want to get the relevant facts in," he said.<\/p>\n
The Bahamasair aircraft involved in the incident arrive at the Nassau International Airport Friday morning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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