US fighter jets chase Ontario college flight school student

As reported by Canwest News Service:

An Ontario student pilot was charged with violating U.S. immigration law after a small airplane flying from a Thunder Bay, Ont., airport was chased by U.S. fighter jets across three states before landing on a rural Missouri highway Monday evening, state highway police said early Tuesday morning.

A Cessna 172 Skyhawk from a Thunder Bay flight school landed at about 9:45 ET on U.S. Highway 60, about 40 kilometres northwest of Poplar Bluff, said Maj. Brian Martin, from the North American Aerospace Defense Command. It was shadowed by two U.S. fighter jets who were trying to force the Cessna down.

Moreland said the airplane was not stolen, which reduced the severity of the charge. The RCMP contacted U.S. authorities to say Leon had access to the airplane at Confederation College Aviation Centre where he was a student pilot.