An woman in China caused a flight delay after she tossed a fistful of coins at the aircraft’s jet engine in an apparent good luck gesture.
The 80-year-old woman, identified by Shanghai Police by her last name, Qiu, was detained by police after she was reported for throwing coins at the flight in Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport. Flight CZ380, bound for Guangzhou and operated by China Southern Airlines, was reportedly delayed for more than five hours.
“The passenger, surnamed Qiu, who has no prior criminal record or mental health issues, claimed she tossed coins as a prayer for a safe flight,” Shanghai Police said in a statement obtained by CNN.
Police evacuated about 150 passengers from the plane and recovered one coin from the flight’s engine. They found eight other coins on the ground near the plane.
