Airplane crashes at Matthew’s Ridge

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:01 by GxMedia

BY Denis Chabrol and Alva Solomon

A Cessna Caravan was Monday morning involved in an incident while it was preparing to land on the Matthew’s Ridge airstrip, according to usually reliable sources.

Under the command of Captain Feriel Ally, the plane ended up in thick vegetation. Transport Minister Robeson Benn was quoted by the Government Information Agency (GINA) as saying that “the plane crashed during bad weather and may have been written off.”

None of the 12 persons aboard the plane owned by Air Services Limited was killed. Authorities reported that one passenger suffered a broken leg.

According to a resident who lives in the vicinity of the crash site, the aircraft bearing registration 8R-AMS,which was on the early flight into Matthew’s Ridge, circled the airstrip around 8:15 today amid heavy cloud cover.She said that several persons were awaiting the flight at the airstrip at the time , when the aircraft’s engine suddenly died . She said passengers and residents immediately raced to an area called Rail End , located some 15 minutes from the airstrip where the plane was seen sitting among the trees  while passengers crawled out of the wrecked aircraft.

The pilot sustained a deep cut to her forehead while several passengers ,including a man called “Tall Man” sustained a broken leg.Another woman’s jaw was broken while two other persons sustained injuries to their hands.

She said most of the passengers were mainly miners heading into the gold fields

GINA said a Trans Guyana plane was diverted to the area to ferry out those who may be injured and those desirous of returning to Georgetown. However, up to 09:45hrs the plane was unable to take off due to thunderstorms.

Benn said a team from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has been sent in for the purposes of investigation and recovery.