Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna-Martin confirmed the investigation to The Tribune on Friday but said she was unable to comment while the probe was ongoing.
Meanwhie, the incident has sent charter operators at Nassau International Airport scrambling to secure their aircraft, changing locks and double checking equipment, amd has left them questioning the airport’s security system.
“No answers are forthcoming, nobody is giving us any information. All of us are very concerned,” said one of about 10 operators at the airport.
“This is a shocker. Has this happened before? Can it happen again?”
Operators want to know how the men who took the plane who are not believed to be associated with the charter company, were allowed to fly the company’s aircraft out of NIA at a time far outside of normal operating hours.
The operator, who asked not to be named, told The Tribune thatabout two weeks ago, four men,two of whom had been let out on bail, and all of whom work at the airport, “borrowed” a Beechcraft 1900 aircraft belonging to a charter company without authorisation, and flew to the Cayman Islands and jamaica. The aircraft left around 10pm and returned 3am the following morning.
The aircraft was parked in the same area as Bahamasair’s Dash-8’s.
In order to make an international flight after 7pm, when general aviation is closed, immigration and customs must be cleared at the main terminal.
Also a flight plan must be filled, including destination, name of crew and passengers and length of trip – outbound clearance from the control tower must be obtained and in this case the aircraft may have had to receive permission to fly over Cuban airspace, said the operator.
Because multiple steps were involved operators fear that “multiple breaches may have been involved”.
Source: Erica Wells, The Tribune
Exclusive Story, March 13, 2004
