– Fly Jamaica hails professional response of crew members

FLY Jamaica Airline spokesman Carl Bowen has hailed the “professional and efficient” response of the airline crew following Friday morning’s crash at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

Early Friday morning, the Boeing 757-200 aircraft took off from the CJIA, but was soon forced to return for an emergency landing after encountering issues with its hydraulic systems.

This system is used to move and actuate landing gear, flaps and brake. Citizens as well as authorities are thankful that no lives were lost among the 128 passengers, including eight crew members, who were on the Toronto-bound plane for the some 45-minute ordeal.
The plane came to a halt at the northeastern end of the runway after colliding with a fence and a heap of sand on site, due to the construction works ongoing at the airport.

Passengers were shaken up by the experience, with less than a dozen sustaining injuries to their neck, back and leg. The right wing and engine of the plane, on the other hand, were badly damaged. On board were 82 Canadians, 35 Guyanese, 11 American citizens, and one each Trinidadian and Pakistani.

As the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCCA) and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board have launched an investigation into the incident, Bowen is thankful that the crew adhered to their training.

“I can clearly say that the crew did such a professional job that prevented any further injury,” he said. “They put their training into use, they followed the protocol and that saved the day,” he told the newspaper.

Asked about the training received for such cases, he confirmed that the staff are no strangers to “very rigorous training”, and that when things took a negative turn, were able to administer the required instructions

“The reason he [the pilot] turned back was not because of the engine or anything like that,” Bowen said. “It was a hydraulics issue with the wheel, so he decided to come back. So, I’m not only talking about the pilot; I’m also talking about the cabin crew, and the way they disembarked the passengers. They followed the protocol; they did a good job, that’s why we didn’t have any serious issues.”

He said that as of Friday afternoon, Fly Jamaica will be providing local assistance to passengers involved in the accident.

Said he: “They went through a partial traumatic episode. Arrangements are being put in place for passengers who are requesting to get out immediately, so our administrative processes are in effect to cover that.”

Regarding the issue of whether there is provision for compensation, Bowen said that the process is not a swift one, but he can only now state that such inquiries would have to be addressed by the airline’s insurance body.

Meanwhile, on the sideline of a press conference at Leader of the Opposition’s Office on Friday, former Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn also expressed gratitude that no lives were lost. “I’m extremely happy that there were no fatalities,” he said, adding:
“We have to thank the skill of the pilot, and we have to be very thankful that there were no fatalities or serious injuries.”

He, however, stressed the importance of extending the airport’s runway, which is currently in progress, and further insisted: “We have to keep working on our aircraft safety and operational safety for aircrafts in the country.”