A passenger jet was forced to make an emergency landing at Regina International Airport (YQR) Tuesday night. According to YQR officials, Porter Airlines Flight 483 from Hamilton, Ont. to Vancouver, B.C. was diverted to Regina at around 8:20 p.m. “The captain elected to land in Regina as a precaution due to the smell of smoke in the cabin, although none was visible,” the airline said in a statement to CTV News. Regina Airport Authority CEO James Bogusz says the airport and crews went into its emergency response plan. “[Pilots] declared an emergency and they landed at the airport for a diversion,” he said. “Our emergency crews did respond but it did land safely.” Bogusz says there were 91 passengers onboard the flight and each person got off the plane and to the airport’s terminal safely. “Our emergency responders responded promptly,” he said. “A big thanks to our mutual aid partners in the City of Regina. They’re part of a big part of our emergency response plan.” “Thankfully for this one, the plane landed safely,” Bogusz added. “Passengers will stay in hotels overnight and continue their journey to Vancouver on another aircraft tomorrow,” a spokesperson for Porter said. “We appreciate the Regina Airport’s support on the ground and the patience of passengers as we prioritize safe operations.” YQR says airport operations are not affected by the emergency landing and it remains open.
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