China Southern Participates In Anti-Hijacking Drill
China Southern Airlines
announced Thursday it has fully participated in the first-ever
anti-hijacking drill staged at the new Baiyun International Airport
(right). The large-scale drill was held recently at the Guangzhou
airport, and was carried out by the newly created Guangdong
Province Anti-Hijack Team.
"We were honored to have fully participated in this important
security operation that -- although we pray the day never comes --
it may one day help save many lives," said Mr. Si Xian Min,
President, China Southern Airlines.
Realism was key to the drill, according to China Southern. The
mock-hijacking was held during a recent weekday morning, when four
simulated terrorists "hijacked" an in-flight China Southern
Airlines Boeing 757 aircraft with 120 passengers on-board.
The hijackers initially demanded the pilot fly them to another
country but because the plane was said to be low on fuel, it was
forced to "land" at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.
Hundreds of armed police immediately closed the runway and
surrounded the aircraft. Real-world tension was built between
police as the gun-and-bomb-wielding "terrorists" as they held their
frightened "hostages" at gunpoint.
Moments later, the Guangdong Province Anti-Hijack Team received
an emergency call from Baiyun International Airport where it was
reported that a China Southern Airlines Boeing 757 aircraft had
been "hijacked" by four terrorists just after the aircraft took off
from a Mainland city. The pilot told the team that the plane had
landed at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport as it was quickly
running out of fuel. He further reported that there were three male
and one female "terrorists" on board and believed that the
hijackers were armed and had laced the aircraft’s interior
with explosives.
In all, more than 800 law enforcement representatives from more
than 10 different organizations including the Armed Police Force
Corp, Guangdong Province Public Security Agency; Central and South
China Air Traffic Management Bureau; General Administration of
Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) and China Southern Airlines --
together with two helicopters and more than 80 automobiles --
joined in the mock crisis emergency simulation.
As the "hijacked" China Southern Aircraft landed at Baryon
International Airport, the armed Anti-Hijack Team quickly besieged
the runway. Two police helicopters were immediately dispatched and
circled over the tarmac, while fire engines and ambulances were
standing by at the ready.
During the exercise, one
of the "terrorists" took a male passenger hostage -- and moments
later, in full view, pantomimed shooting that passenger to death.
The hijacker even used a blank gun cartridge, to build what China
Southern called "real-life tension."
That was the final straw for the Anti-Hijack Team. Covered by
other law enforcement teams, the armed police quickly rushed to the
right side of the jet -- and seconds later, with a triggered
"explosion" of the forward and rear cabin doors, the armed force
stormed the cabin. They "shot" two of the terrorists, and seized
another.
Unfortunately, one of the male terrorists managed to mingle with
other passengers... but he wasn't able to hide for long.
After the police seized control of the aircraft, the crew
immediately dispatched passengers safely down an evacuation chute
while demolition experts immediately inspected the cabin and found
mock-bombs squirreled away by the hijackers, which were safely
removed and destroyed far down the tarmac.
It was then a police dog sniffed out the last of the escaping
terrorists among the passengers, and the police immediately brought
him down, as fire engines, ambulances, and police cars raced to the
aircraft. Helicopters transported simulated "patients" to nearby
hospitals.
"Like the Boy Scouts, one cannot be well prepared enough," said
Mr. Si about the exercise.