No charges for woman who tossed coins into Chinese plane engine

June 28 (UPI) -- A passenger who tossed coins into the engine of a China Southern Airlines plane as a good luck gesture will not be charged, Shanghai police said Wednesday.

Flight CZ380, an Airbus 320 was delayed for 5 hours after a woman identified only by the surname Qiu, 80, was seen throwing several coins into the air intake of one of the plane's two engines as she boarded on Tuesday. She was traveling with relatives from Shanghai to Guangzhou.

It was meant to be an assurance of good luck, the South China Morning Post reported Wednesday, but it delayed takeoff. Maintenance crews found one coin in the engine and eight more surrounding it. The captain said that metal sucked into a jet engine could lead to engine failure.

Passengers left the plane while the checks were made. The airline said passengers were reminded that compliance with aviation laws and regulations was a requirement.

Police said they decided not to take action against Qiu, who has no criminal record, because of her age and a lack of intent to cause harm.