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Aircraft turns back minutes after takeoff
…as bird sucked into engine
By Leonard Gildarie
A Caribbean Airlines flight was forced to turn back yesterday after a bird was sucked into one of its engines, causing significant damage. Kaieteur News understands that loud explosions were heard and smoke seen over the area around the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. There were no injuries.
Authorities now believe that a hawk, attracted by chicken farms in the vicinity of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), may have been the bird which caused the incident.
Yesterday, Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud said that he has ordered the airport and Guyana Livestock Development Authority to meet with poultry farmers operating outside the mandatory three-mile radius, to discuss measures to further reduce any risks.
According to airport officials, the incident occurred around 10:26 hrs about five miles from airport.
Caribbean Airlines B737-800 aircraft, Registration 9Y-ANU, was at the time carrying 152 passengers and six crewmembers.The aircraft was operating scheduled passenger flight, BW662 GEO-POS, and reportedly took off two minutes before the incident.
Airport officials said that the plane had ascended to 3,000 feet when the bird was “ingested” into the left engine.
Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting were on standby as the aircraft returned and landed about nine minutes later.
Initial investigations revealed several badly bent propellers and according to officials the plane would be grounded until thorough checks are carried out. These include the engine being taken apart.
The affected passengers left after 13:00hrs on another plane, this newspaper was told.
Minister of Transport Robeson Benn also expressed concern, and assured that while it was not a life-threatening incident, it was “significant”. He believed that a number of chicken farms in the area could have been at fault.
he left engine of the aircaft was significantly damaged
There were specks of blood in the propeller area with several blades bent.
The plane remained grounded at the CJIA as of late yesterday afternoon as the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority started its investigations.
CJIA, over the last few years, has been working to remove squatters from the area and already a number of poultry farmers have left. There are still a few others remaining.
According to the Agriculture Minister, the meeting today will seek to examine the possibilities of more precautions.
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