Demerara Waves Online News- Guyana Riding on the Crest of Truth
Last Updated on Friday, 8 December 2023, 21:25 by Denis Chabrol
One of the injured soldiers, on a stretcher, being moved from an aircraft to an ambulance.
The investigation into Wednesday’s crash of a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) helicopter that claimed the lives of five servicemen and injured two others has begun and the black box containing flight data has already been retrieved, Aviation Minister Juan Edghill said Friday.
“We had members of his team in at Blake Slater landing strip. We have already retrieved the black box. The investigations are underway,” he told Demerara Waves Online News.
In keeping with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regulations, which require the Aviation Minister to appoint an Accident Investigator; Mr Krishnanand Ramlachana has been appointed to conduct the probe. “He is the person who investigated all of the last incidents or accidents,” the minister said.
Mr Edghill said Mr Latchana has already started work and a decision would be taken whether to send the Bell 412 Epi’s engine overseas for examination. An aviation industry source said most likely the engine would be sent to Bell, the aircraft manufacturer.
Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Khan, when asked whether there was pilot error, remarked that, “there is an investigation to be completed; we don’t know.”
The ambulances about to depart the Eugene F. Correia ‘Ogle’ International Airport with the injured soldiers to a hospital.
The Aviation Minister said investigators have not yet interviewed the surviving servicemen Lieutenant Andio Crawford and Corporal Dwayne Jackson who were evacuated from the crash site earlier Friday and transported to a hospital for continued medical attention.
At the Eugene F. Correia ‘Ogle’ International Airport, the two servicemen arrived aboard a twin-engine plane and were greeted family members, colleagues, President Irfaan Ali, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, the GDF Chief of Staff, other senior military and police officers, National Security Advisor Captain Gerry Gouveia Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Egbert Field among others.
Mr Field said the Accident Investigation Unit would seek to conduct an independent investigation “as promptly and as quickly as possible” and file the report directly with the Aviation Minister in keeping with ICAO regulations. He added that documentation for the aircraft and crew have been prepared for the Accident Investigator.
Interviews, written reports, and the inspection of the wreckage would be considered by the investigator. He said the investigator would determine whether the wreckage should be taken out or information collected from it onsite.
One of the bodies of the GDF servicemen being taken out of a Defence Force SkyVan at the Eugene F. Correia ‘Ogle’ International Airport
Minutes later, a GDF SkyVan aircraft arrived with the bodies of the five fallen soldiers- Brigadier Gary Beaton, Colonel Michael Shahoud, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Charles, Lieutenant Colonel Sean Welcome and Staff Sergeant Jason Khan. Their caskets were each draped with the Guyana’s National flag before pall-bearers hoisted each of them to waiting hearses.
As each of them was being taken out of the Skyvan, his name was called aloud. When Brigadier Beaton’s name was called, former government minister Jennifer Westford screamed and collapsed. She was comforted and eventually stood again.
Eventually, tears poured from the eyes of an evidently saddened Commander-in-Chief, President Ali.
Meanwhile, former GDF Chief-of-Staff Retired Rear Admiral Dr Gary Best said, “at this solemn hour, and in honor of our fallen heroes, I extend my sincere condolences to the families of five members of the Guyana Defence Force” who died while on a military mission in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region.
“I wish you comfort knowing your loved ones served because they believed in this country; died, in service to this country; and will never be forgotten by this country. This is the highest level of service one can give to one’s country.
As Guyanese, we must never forget this price that was paid to protect our national patrimony and sovereignty. This tragedy, though immeasurably painful to the mothers, fathers, wives, children and relatives of our fallen heroes, has also hurt our entire nation and the brotherhood of our armed forces. Let us all be comforted in this painful hour.
I also wish the survivors of this tragedy, Lieutenant Andio Crawford, and Corporal Dwayne Jackson a full and speedy recovery, and safe return to service in the Guyana Defence Force.”