NEWS: Hijacked Plane Crashes in New Zealand Harbor

Following a threat by the hijacker to crash the light aircraft into the tallest building in New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, the plane crashed into the city's harbor. There are no specifics as to the number of passengers aboard the plane. Police boats were on the way to the spot where the plane went down.

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I'm posting this story because I saw it through the news section of AOL. It is attributed to Reuters but I do not see the story at that site or CNN for that matter. It also does not appear to be on any of the major television news stations.

Though it sounds like this person could have been acting on his own in a distraught fashion, I find it extremely odd that there is no mention of this anywhere else particularly on the site to which the story is attributed. Once I discover more about this, I will report on it.

Good find buddy, here is a link to the story on the New Zealand Herald site.

www.nzherald.co.nz...

This is quite freaky, I have had confrontations with a New Zealander on this board, and having visited NZ at the beginning of the year for a month I have come to love the place very much and it's remoteness from the world's problems.
Anyway, while I was watching our Airday display here in England today they did an assault simmulation with pretend terrorists and for some reason the thought crossed my mind of what would New Zealanders reactions be if they were affected directly by terrorists like many other countries in the world. I specifically thought about plane attacks on landmarks (due to memories of 9/11), obviously the Sky tower (which I have been up and it is magnificent) as it is extremely well known and the tallest building in Auckland. I wondered if it would change the attitude of people like the guy I have had problems with on the War against Terror so to speak.
Anyway, I felt pretty guilty about thinking such things and thought how terrible I would feel if it did happen, so this event is pretty sketchy in my mind I must say. I'm just glad it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

[edit on 17-9-2005 by AgentSmith]

This was actualy on the belgian news.

Some dude stole a small sportsplane, wanted to drive it into a tower, but crashed it in the ocean instead. He was alone in the plane, it was one of those small tin can 2 seater sportsplanes.

They had footage and everything of the crashed plane and the ambulance taking him away. The dude got hurt, but wasn't dead at the time they broadcasted it here.

If I'm not mistaken, a smal sportsplane crashed into one of the WTC towers too years back. Dunno what damage a lil tin can like that can actualy do against a structure like that.

[edit on 17/9/05 by thematrix]

Wow, I'm glad he didn't hit the building...sounds like major news, but I've got FOX News on and haven't heard anything

Afraid this story has been made a victim of the old southern hemisphere's news events don't get much airplay up in the North.



Looks like a disgrunted voter to put it mildly.

thematrix, I dont remember a small plane crashing into the WTC, but there was one that was flown into a tall building in Florida ( a bank I think). If anyone else remembers the details please remind me, but I think it was a teen flying it.

Most likely a Terrorist act.. and should be followed as T.A.E and those responseable should indure the pain as the people on the airliner just like if someone drownes someone then they should be drowned also

That story briefly interrupted the election coverage last night. It occured well after all voting had closed so I doubt it had anything to do with influencing the election. The results weren't clear cut at that time and still aren't, so I doubt he was disgruntled about the result either.

No details yet but I doubt this pilot is in any way linked to an international type terrorist organisation. It's just as likely he lost all his money in the casino at the bottom of the Sky Tower.

A day or two prior to the election, the CBD of one of the coastal cities, Tauranga, was partially evacuated after a guy threatened to bomb one of the apartment towers unless he was able to talk to the Prime Minister.

Eventually the Special Tactics Group captured him using stun grenades and he was in court the next day - uninjured.

Turns out he was a Slovakian staying at a backpackers lodge and working in a fisheries factory who was frustrated at not being able to gain residency in NZ. He just wanted to stay here.

Update:

One of my workmates has a son who is a pilot. The plane that was crashed is owned by the Aero-Club. It was flown from Palmerston North to Auckland for my workmate's son to use the following day.

The man who stole the plane was one of his previous flight instructors. It turns out that he had just split up with his wife and went a little cuckoo. He is in critical condition in hospital now.

Sorry to disappoint if anyone was hoping for something juicy.

[edit on 18-9-2005 by News Junkie]

It was a Cessna 172 flown by a teenager. He claimed to be doing it to support the muslims or something llike that.

The only one in NY other than 9/11 was a B-25 that flew into the Empire State Building back in 1944 IIRC.

Sounds like a "Stand Alone Complex."

-koji K.

Thanks for the updates everyone. I'd thought that it might have been connected to the elections but that does seem merely coincidental now. As to an example of an aircraft crashing into a skyscraper, other than 9/11, there was this crash at the Empire State Building in NYC in the '40's.

history1900s.about.com...

Also, I am no longer able to edit the title of my original post to more accurately reflect what seems to have been a stolen as opposed to hijacked plane. If any mods can, please feel free to make the change.

Seems to be what I said happend in Tampa.
archives.cnn.com...

Picture of the damage is in the article.