China Southern Airlines Participates in Critical Anti-Hijacking Drill

China Southern Airlines recently participated in the first-ever large-scale anti-hijack drill to be held at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. The drill was carried out by the newly created Guangdong Province Anti-Hijack Team.

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.

During a typical weekday morning, four simulated terrorists “hijacked” an in-flight China Southern Airlines Boeing 757 aircraft with 120 passengers on-board. They demanded the pilot fly them to another country but because the plane was “low on fuel”, it was forced to “land” at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

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.

As the “hijacked” China Southern Aircraft “landed” at Baiyun 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. One of the “terrorists” took a male passenger hostage and moments later in full view shot that passenger to death. 

The blank cartridge gunshot served to do nothing more than ratchet up the real world tension. The Anti-Hijack Team was determined to take action. 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.

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 “bombs” squirreled away by the hijackers, which were safely removed and destroyed far down the tarmac. Within moments, a police dog sniffed out the last of the escaping terrorists among the passengers and the police immediately brought him down.

Fire engines, ambulances, police cars all raced to the aircraft as helicopters were busily transporting simulated “patients” to nearby hospitals.

“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.

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