Flight delayed after elderly woman tosses coins at engine

Maintenance crews overhaul the engine of the passenger jet. [Photo: Weibo]

A flight en route to Guangzhou from Shanghai's Pudong airport was delayed after a coin was thrown into the airplane's engine by an elderly woman on Tuesday, June 27, 2017, The Paper reported.

An 80-year-old woman surnamed Qiu reportedly tossed a handful of coins towards the engine as she was getting onboard the passenger jet.  Fellow passengers contacted police after noticing what happened.

The Paper is quoting Shanghai police as saying the woman believed that tossing the coins in the engine was a way for her to pray for a safe journey.  Authorities discovered nine coins at the scene. One of them was found inside the engine casing.  

Maintenance crews overhaul the engine of the passenger jet. [Photo: Weibo]

Qiu's neighbors said she is a devout Buddhist. 

Police officer shows the coins thrown by the elderly woman. [Photo: Weibo]

China Southern Airlines has also confirmed the incident, saying the flight could take off after the engine was overhauled by the airline's maintenance department. 

The incident did delay the flight for some six hours.