…NTSB, Boeing officials arrive to join investigative team
The Flight Data Recorder and the Cockpit Voice Recorder that were retrieved from the crashed-landed Fly Jamaica Boeing 757 aircraft are expected to be flown to the United States today.
This is according to Colonel Egbert Field, Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), who made this disclosure during a telephone interview with Guyana Times on Monday.
He noted that, up to late Monday evening, the boxes were being packaged for transport to the USA, so that the decoding process can be done. He reiterated that the recorders can provide the answers to all the questions that are being touted.
“These boxes have to be packaged in a specific manner and sent to the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) for them to commence their work,” Fields explained.
Investigative team
He noted that one official from the NTSB has arrived in Guyana to join the investigative team led by Paula McAdam, which is being assisted by members of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). He also said that an official from Boeing is shortly expected in the country to commence investigations.
With respect to the removal of the crashed aircraft, Field explained that the preparatory work to remove the aircraft from the position it occupies has begun. He added that it is expected to be a horrendous task, taking into consideration how the aircraft is positioned.
Guyana Civil Aviation Authority Director General, Colonel Egbert Field
“The engineers are working on the logistics to move the aircraft to a holding facility, but it will take some time and some hard work to move it… First, the fuel, which adds up to thousands of pounds, will have to be taken out to make the aircraft lighter…” he explained.
Once the fuel is removed, he said, the engineers will have get the cranes to lift the aircraft in a manner not to incur any breakage. Field added that, within the next four days, the crashed aircraft is expected to be removed.
The removal will also have to be coordinated with the flight schedules at the CJIA, to avoid a disruption in incoming and outgoing flights. In addition, Field told Guyana Times, the two pilots onboard the aircraft when it crash- landed are expected to face a panel of experts as soon as possible, to answer some questions. The two pilots, he added, are being prepared for that intense session.
Meanwhile, five of the seven passengers who were hospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital with spinal injuries have been discharged therefrom; while, up to Sunday evening, the other two were being further monitored.
Owner of the aircraft, Roxanne Reece, visited the two injured passengers on Sunday and thanked them for their courage and bravery. A release issued by the airline on Sunday has stated that its priority is the repatriation of passengers.
Guyana Times understands that several passengers have already left Guyana via Caribbean Airlines, and arrangements are being made for the remaining passengers to be flown out.
An official from the airline told this publication that the operations of Fly Jamaica are continuing, and there will be no disruptions in the scheduled flights in and out of the JFK Airport.
Recap
The Boeing 757 aircraft operated by Fly Jamaica crash-landed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on Friday morning with 120 passengers (118 adults, 2 infants) on board.
The flight, OJ256, left Guyana for Toronto, Canada at about 02:10h on Friday, but after encountering hydraulic problems, it returned to Timehri, where it crash-landed at about 02:53h. Immediately after the crash-landing, members of the Guyana Fire Service rushed to the scene to assist in the evacuation of the passengers.
During the process, at least 10 passengers were taken to the hospital — seven with spinal and other injures, two with hypertension, and one with a heart condition. Seven others were treated at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
An investigation was launched into the incident, and the findings will be presented to the authorities once the process is completed. (Bhisham Mohamed)
