Medevac plane with body crashes; pilot and cop survive

Feb 19, 2019 News

A policeman and an American pilot miraculously cheated death last evening after a single-engine plane went down in the West Demerara conservancy, but darkness and access to the area was thwarting rescue efforts up to press time.
At 10pm, there were flares sent up, presumably from the crash site, located about four miles from conservancy dam area, Canal Number Two.

Army personnel were on the ground at the Canal Number Two conservancy dam. (Guyanese Critic photo)

The small plane was reportedly bringing out a body when it went down.
On the scene at the Canal Number Two conservancy dam were police, army, officials from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and rescue personnel.
According to GCAA’s Director General, Lt. Colonel (Ret’d) Egbert Field, who is overseas, from what he was told, the crash occurred after 6pm, in the Nismes area, West Bank Demerara.
It was disclosed that the plane, a single-engine Cessna 172, bearing registration number N8704, was on a medevac from the hinterland when the Control Tower at the Timehri airport received a call.
The pilot, according to Field, indicated that he was running low on fuel.
The tower received another call; this time a distress “Mayday” call.
According to the aviation official, the plane is operated by Seventh Day Adventists and used to conduct missionary work in the hinterland.
The plane had reportedly visited Arau in Region Seven, and was on its way back with a body, when it crashed.
According to Field, the policeman who was with the US pilot reportedly used his cell phone to call out for help.
With the conservancy levels low, it was reported that in all likelihood the plane landed on grassy, savannah area.
According to Field, he is not sure how a medevac was being conducted to bring out a body.
He said that from indications, the policeman suffered a broken leg.
The crashed plane was reportedly located by the Roraima aircraft with an army medevac working to bring the men out.
According to sources, the men would be flown to Timehri for treatment before being taken elsewhere.