Probe launched into missing planes from Eugene F Correia Airport – Harmon

The Government has launched a probe into the unauthorised departure of two light aircraft from the Eugene F Correia (Ogle) International Airport in Guyana last Saturday.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon on Thursday announced during a post-Cabinet press briefing that the probe would unearth those who were involved and recommendations would be made to ensure that there was no repeat of such an incident.

He stated that Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson had advised the Cabinet that an inquiry has been launched as part of the Administration’s move to guarantee that there was no recurrence of the incident in the future.

“They are very serious matters in relation to security and the fact that the Eugene F Correia Airport is an international airport, that makes it even more important to ensure that our security procedures are tightened,” he said.

On Saturday last, the aircraft, bearing registration numbers 8R-GTP and 8R-GMP, departed Guyana even though they were not supposed to do so.

Acting Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Chitranie Heeralall had confirmed that the aircraft left Guyana without the necessary authorisation.

The aircraft, worth US$110,000 each, are owned by Oxford Aviation and were subjected to a court injunction by Phoenix Airways. The planes were, however, detained in Anguilla after flying through Trinidad’s airspace and landing in Grenada to refuel.

This newspaper understands that one of the pilots was identified as the Guyanese who owns Oxford Aviation and a flight school and charter service in the United States, and the other is not licensed to fly in Guyana’s airspace.

However, speaking on behalf of the Eugene F Correia International Airport, Kit Nascimento related that all security protocols were followed on the morning when the aircraft departed.

He explained that at approximately 04:00h on Saturday, two staff attached to Oxford Airways presented their air flight passes at the airport security scanner and entered the airport. “The men told the security staff at the scanner that they were going to their aircraft to put some stuff on board”, Nascimento explained.

In fact, he noted that the pilots took off without filing a flight plan and without notifying airport security and immigration.

He stressed that all the airport security staff were on duty and allowed the men onto the airstrip because they had air flight passes. The pilots, the official reiterated, did not notify the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The air traffic control tower was only aware of what was happening as the aircraft were taxing down the runway to take off.