Following last week’s crash-landing of a Boeing 757 aircraft operated by Fly Jamaica at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, investigators will finally be able to fully assess what exactly went wrong as the Fly Data Recorder (Black Box) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (Pink Box) will be sent to the United States via air travel today (Thursday).
When contacted by this newspaper on Wednesday evening, Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Egbert Field confirmed that a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) official will deliver the two pieces of equipment in Washington, DC, United States on Thursday.
NTSB is an independent US Government agency that overlooks investigations into air transportation accidents. The flight, OJ256 left Guyana for Toronto, Canada at about 02:10h on Friday last but after reportedly encountering hydraulic issues, the pilot acted quickly and returned to the CJIA where it crash-landed at about 02:53h.
On Saturday last, the NTSB investigator arrived in Guyana and worked with GCAA and other stakeholders at the crash site on Monday and Tuesday as the investigation was carried out. The GCAA Director stated that Wednesday was used to ensure that all of the necessary paperwork was filed and sent off as the probe both in Guyana and in the US continues.
“We spent the day going over documentation at the office so [the official] is leaving and taking the Fly Data Recorder and the Cockpit Voice Recorder with him. Two Boeing engineers who came in on Monday and are presently in Guyana have been at the crash site evaluating the entire situation to analysing data,” Field told this newspaper.
The owner of the airline, Roxanne Reece and other executives had visited the injured people at hospital on Sunday.
Although the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) was the first responders to the crash site, several fire fighters caused embarrassment to themselves and the GFS for their alleged acts of theft. At least 14 of the fire fighters who were implicated in removing several devices belonging to the crew and passengers were believed to have taken the items as they had exclusive access to the plane.
One of the firemen had reportedly returned some of the stolen items while some were found at the Timehri Fire Service. The airline had opened their call centres around the clock and was contacting passengers with flight reservations through November 14 (Wednesday). Arrangements were made with Caribbean Airlines to have the passengers transported to their destinations.
