Probe underway on shooting threat against Japan-Vietnam flight
Investigation is still underway on a shooting threat made against a Vietnam Airlines flight en route from Japan to Vietnam earlier this month, spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang told the Foreign Ministry’s regular press conference on January 20.
Shortly after receiving the information about the incident, the Embassy of Vietnam in Japan has supported the representative office of Vietnam Airlines in the country to contact local authorities for information verification, Hang said. The embassy has also sent a note to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting an urgent security check for the flight upon its arrival at Fukuoka Airport, aiming to ensure safety of all passengers.
The note also asked Japanese authorities to promptly investigate the case and identify the person who made the threat phone call, she added.
With the help and cooperation of local authorities, the flight continued its journey and safely landed in Vietnam, the spokesperson said.
At present, the case is under investigation. The relevant agencies of Vietnam are coordinating with the Japanese side to continue clarify the reasons behind it as well as identify the caller.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), flight VN5311/NRT-HAN departed from Narita (Japan) for Hanoi at 10:30am (local time) on January 5, with 15 crew members and 47 passengers aboard.
At about 11:10am, the Vietnam Airlines branch in Japan received a phone call from a man who spoke Japanese and claimed to be American.
"Flight VN5311 had better come back to Narita or it will be shot down when passing Tokyo Bay," the unidentified caller said.
The Vietnam Airlines office reported the incident to the Vietnam Airlines Corporation, which forwarded the information to Japanese authorities, the CAAV and agencies of the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security.
