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Search called off for missing ASL plane – RCC
Captain Nicky Persuad
Despite an intensive 21 days period of aerial and ground searches in mountainous and densely forested terrain in Region Eight for the Air Services Limited (ASL) Britten Norman Islander that went missing late last year, search and rescue officers have decided to call off search efforts.
Captain Nicky Yakesh Persaud, 27 and cargo handler David Bisnauth, 51, who were onboard the aircraft are still to be found. The aircraft had disappeared on a routine shuttle operation between Mahdia and Karisparu on December 28, last.
Rescue operators had been hoping to locate the aircraft before expending their resources. But even after numerous leads and daily search efforts, the agencies involved in rescue efforts finally decided to call it quits.
When the ASL plane went missing five aircraft conducted reconnaissance missions over the Mahdia, Kaieteur, Karisparu and Taffy areas following the most probable track that the aircraft would have flown. Three helicopters were deployed followed by an ASL Cessna Caravan and 11 Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Special Forces Officers.
The Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) was established and supported by Transport Minister Robeson Benn, volunteers, along with several agencies including, the GDF, the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), CDC, the Ministry of Health, Guyana Forestry Commission, Air Services Ltd, Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation, Civil Aviation Department – Suriname, CGX and the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
Information gathering and planning was done by this centre and coordinated for execution by the sub-centre established at Mahdia.
According to a public missive from the RCC, during the last 21 days, extensive searches were conducted by three helicopters and two fixed winged aircraft from a base established at Mahdia, to locations identified as high probability areas determined as a result of sightings and more than 20 interviews with miners, villagers and relatives.
They said that more than 230 hours were flown by the helicopters and fixed winged aircraft involved in the search.
They searched the Blackwater Creek basin, North Fork, Konawaruk River, Ebini, Eagle, Mowasi, Glendor Mountains, Kurungiku mountain range including “Toucan Face” “Twin Towers” and Toucan Valley.
The helicopters conducted multiple sorties over the Blackwater Creek and North Fork areas including locations where damaged trees and crows were observed.
The body said that ground searches complemented the aerial searches after Day Three and intensified thereafter with seven ground search parties totalling 47 persons from the Guyana Forestry Commission, St. Cuthbert’s Mission, villagers from Mahdia and Chenapau, 20 Special Forces Officers, family members of the missing captain and volunteers.
Approximately 20 insertions and extractions of ground search parties were done at nine landing areas to trek along the treacherous and densely forested terrain.
Areas where potential images captured by the Canadian Twin Otter with capability of picking up large metallic objects, were also combed, the agency related.
Later in the search, several attempts to pursue an additional lead from a camp owner were made by the RCC and ASL, however, after over one week, the person failed to take officers to the location from which he said the aircraft was seen. Using this information, the GDF Special Forces Officers combed the mountainous area pinpointed, without success.
Over the last weekend another team including Captain Gerry Gouveia from Roriama Airways continued the search efforts, with no results.
During the past three weeks the search for the missing aircraft and its occupants engaged a varied and substantial number of resources, including personnel, aircraft, specialized equipment among others and all leads have been exhausted without success.
“As a result the Minister of Public Works in collaboration with the RCC has taken a decision to bring the operation to an end.”
The Minister of Public Works and the GCAA empathized with the immediate family, relatives and friends of the missing persons.
When Kaieteur News made contact with family members of the missing crew members, many of their phones rang out. A relative said it is a very difficult time for the family as they are still to come to terms with the reality of the matter.
The newspaper was told, however, that the families are hoping to continue ground searches in a bid to recover the missing crew.
The ASL plane is one of many to have disappeared in the dense Guyanese jungle over the years.
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