A plane, a Bombardier Dash 8 – Q400, crashed after a 29 year old ground employee from Pierce County stole it from an airport, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington state, authorities stated. The crash took place at Ketron Island, southwest of Tacoma.
North American Aerospace Defence Command scrambled fighter jets on Friday night to accompany the Horizon Airlines plane, which was steered away from Seattle and Tacoma by air traffic control, on its hour-long flight, ABC News reported.
The sheriff’s department called the employee ‘suicidal’ and clarified that it was not a terrorist incident.
“Most terrorists don’t do loops over the water,” Sheriff Paul Pastor said. “This might have been a joyride gone terribly wrong.”
“Stolen horizon airplane crashed into Ketron island. Preliminary info is that a mechanic from unknown airlines stole plane. Was doing stunts in air or lack of flying skills caused crash into Island,” Pastor tweeted.
The FBI said it was in contact with officials and that it was too early to comment.
