The 25-year-old Toronto-area man charged in connection with an alleged incident that saw a flight to Panama City turn back to Canada has been released on bail.
Ali Shahi was released on $1,000 bail, after appearing in a Brampton, Ont. court Saturday, and taken to a local hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.
The Sunwing Airlines plane turned around approximately 45 minutes into its journey Friday morning, after the airline says a passenger allegedly made a "direct threat" to the aircraft's safety.
Flight 772 departed from Toronto at 7 a.m., heading toward Panama City with 181 passengers, two infants and a crew of six on board.
Passenger Bettina Bathe told CTV Toronto the incident unfolded approximately 45 minutes after takeoff when a flight attendant came by to pass out headsets.
"He basically just tore a strip off her, explaining how expensive the cigarettes are here in Canada, he hates Canada," Bathe said.
"Then he said, with great expression using his hands, 'I just want to bomb Canada.'"
Following procedure, the flight was then diverted back to Toronto's Pearson International Airport, escorted by two U.S. fighter jets.
The plane landed safely at Toronto's Pearson International Airport at approximately 8:55 a.m., where it was boarded by armed tactical officers.
Passengers recorded the police officers boarding flight 772 once it landed. The officers pointed their guns and yelled "Heads down! Hands up!" as they boarded the plane.
A family friend of Shahi told reporters on Saturday that the family did not know about the incident until after the plane had landed at Pearson. They say Ali called his parents to tell them that the flight had been diverted and that he told them he had no idea why.
Ali’s father, Sadegh Shahi, said in a family statement released Friday that he was sorry for what transpired, but that it was not his son’s fault.
"I am sorry for what happened on the flight, but Ali is not at fault. I blame the police and health system," Sadegh Shahi said.
He said his family has been struggling to deal with their son’s battle with mental illness for several years and have reached out to police "24 times in the last 3 years" to try and get Ali some help.
Speaking to reporters in front of the Brampton courthouse on Saturday, a frustrated Sadegh Shahi said his son never received the support he so desperately needed.
“I go to the hospital, they don’t do anything, they send him home the next day,” Sadegh Shahi said. “I go to the doctor, they don’t do anything.”
“I call the police they said, ‘No, he’s over 18 and we can’t do anything, we are not doctors.’”
His son has suffered from depression, anorexia and bulimia since he was 16, Sadegh Shahi said.
Ali is charged with uttering threats and endangering the safety of an aircraft.
As part of his bail condition, Ali Shahi must stay away from Pearson Airport and is prohibited from boarding any aircraft.
With a report from CTV Toronto’s Scott Lightfoot
