By Abdool A. Aziz

AT AGE 10, he stood on the varnished deck of the then elegant ferry boat – the M.V. Queriman (a model is currently at the museum) as it travelled along the Demerara River. He marveled at the huge Saguenay liners bobbing at the anchor. These were overseas merchant vessels. The ferry boat looks like a lifeboat compared to their sizes.

As he enjoyed a panoramic view of the harbour he looked to the south and saw a plane nose-diving into the river. He got scared. The aircraft plunged into the murky waters and disappeared. He panicked and grabbed on to his father’s trousers.
“PA, PA!” he bellowed, “People dead!”
His dad laughed.

“No, they are not dead. Keep looking, you’ll see the plane rise to the surface.”
He was tense, he looked and looked and lo and behold he saw the aircraft float to the surface. He smiled, he asked his Papa, “Why it must duck before landing?”
His father promised to explain it all later. “Come on,” he said.
He followed his dad into the city for the first time but that river incident kept haunting him. Suppose that plane didn’t rise again? He wondered nervously. Ten years later, he would experience this water landing for himself – reliving a nightmare!

AERIAL TRAVELS
He became an Interior Development Officer and did most of his travels by air. He utilised all the aircraft designed for domestic flights. The Cessna, the Twin Otter, the Dakota. Now he must use the Grumman amphibious plane, as his destination, Kurupung, was accessible only by river.

THE WATER PLANE
This aircraft of German engineering was introduced to British Guiana during World War II. It was well suited for hinterland travels as it could take off and land on earth or water. But due to poor care and service, only one remained. He was the lone passenger en-route to the Mazaruni Region on this antique plane. The aircraft was short and stocky with turboprop engines and flotation devices. It was waterproof. It vibrated a lot and he thought it would disintegrate in mid-air. He was scared sitting all alone and staring at the giant green rug rushing past, sometimes hidden by thick clouds. Now and then, a river snakes itself through the jungle floor.

NIGHTMARE TURNS REALITY
The expected announcement came: “Fasten your seat-belts, we will be landing shortly!”
His heart pounded profusely. He was scared. He closed his eyes and began to pray. The plane nose-dived. He lurched forward. His stomach was growling. He felt nauseated, he braced for impact. It hit the water and dove steeply. The cabin grew dark.

The water rushed past the portholes in a flash he was submerged. He held his breath and prayed then suddenly light reappeared in the cabin. He was afloat… praise to the pilot. She sailed like a boat to the landing. That trip was the last he took on the water plane and he was the last passenger too. Grumman, that aircraft, became a statistic. Gone forever.