Canadian air force shadows passenger jet
Canadian fighters shadowed a New York-bound Air India jetliner over the Atlantic Ocean today after authorities found a suspicious passenger was aboard, US government officials said.
The commercial plane, flying from London to New York, apparently would be allowed to land at John F. Kennedy International Airport, the officials said.
US fighters were expected to escort the plane once it entered US airspace, the officials said.
It was not clear what caused the concern about the passenger, but the officials said Federal Aviation Administration authorities had spoken to members of the Air India crew, who were in a reinforced cockpit and indicated they were not alarmed.
The jet was being shadowed from a distance, not escorted, so the passengers would not see the Canadian fighters, the officials said.
The North American Air Defence Command NORAD was monitoring an Air India flight from London to JFK, NORAD spokesman Major Barry Venable said.
‘‘NORAD is aware of a potential situation aboard an Air India flight, and is monitoring it,’’ he said.
FBI spokesman Joseph Valiquette said federal agents would meet the flight at JFK, but declined to comment further. FBI officials in Washington said there is a person on board ‘‘we want to talk to.’’
Arlene Salac, a spokeswoman for the FAA’s New York regional office, said Air India Flight 101 was due in at JFK at 2150 GMT.
‘‘There is no problem with the flight,’’ said Lulu Iphraim, an official with the airline in New York. ‘‘We’ve had no official information whatsoever. We’ve checked and there’s absolutely no news about this.’’
