CanJet Hijack: Hostages Survive, Deranged Gunman Captured

Ending an eight hour stand off that resulted in no injuries, Jamaican authorities say they have in custody a “mentally challenged youngster” aged around 20 years who had held CanJet Airlines Flight 918 and its crew hostage at gunpoint in Montego Bay, Jamaica on Monday.

The gunman – identified by authorities as Stephen Fray of Montego Bay – had demanded to be taken to Cuba, the scheduled next stop of the flight, says Jamaican Information Minister Daryl Vaz.

“We were getting nowhere with the negotiations,” Vaz was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. “Police and military went on the plane and captured him,” he added.

The gunman stormed the parked airliner at 1000 hours (local time) Sunday, Jamaican authorities said 159 passengers and eight crew members were aboard the jet at the time.

The passengers and two crew members were immediately released but the remaining   crew of six was held hostage until 0640 hours, when members of the Jamaica Defense Force Counter Terrorism Operations Group entered the Boeing 737-800, the government said in a statement.

The charter flight had taken off from Halifax, Nova Scotia and was making a scheduled stop in Jamaica on its way to Cuba when Fray forced his way pas checkpoints and into the aircraft.

Stephen Harper, the prime minister of Canada, is in Jamaica on an official visit, but reports suggest that there was no link between the hijack incident and his trip.

Soon after curtains were drawn on the hostage drama Harper, reportedly, called Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding and “congratulated him for the successful resolution.”