PHASE One of the private search by family of the pilot of the missing Britten-Norman Islander which disappeared around midday on December 28 2014, has been completed, and Phase Two will commence shortly. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Frank Singh, Managing Director of Rainforest Tours and father- in- law of Captain Nicky Persaud, explained that the search which began in February of this year was expected to last one month, with an estimated budget of just over $6 million and a 20-man search team.

He noted that they are optimistic about finding the aircraft and the new phase appears as though it will be fruitful.
Singh explained that some of the men on the search team have contracted malaria and the search was paused for a little while. “We have been getting assistance from a lot of persons and big companies like New GPC, Mattai’s Supermarket, Survival Supermarket, Starr Computers and also the Government of Guyana, among others. We decided to start the search because we met with the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Transport and they said they have exhausted all their resources,” Singh said.
“We are getting a tremendous response from the public and had we not received such assistance we could not have entered into phase two of this search,” he said. The initiative is being supported by local businesses, family members of the two men and several prominent pilots including Captain Gerry Gouveia.
“For the first search in the Toffee area, 10 men were used to comb a four- mile stretch… they were placed 100 metres apart, in that case, they cannot miss anything… as we moved towards the more mountainous areas, we increased the search by an additional 10 men,” Singh stated.
“If the aircraft was seen, it meant it was flying low and if it crashed, the impact will not be that serious… some minor injuries might be incurred, if it was flying high then the possibility is that they have not survived.” Although it has been a month and more after the suspected crash, he noted that under the pilot’s seat there is a kit that has several pieces of life -saving apparatus including first aid, sparks and food items that can last up to a certain time.
Tony Melville, one of the men on the search team explained briefly that in phase one, “We have covered the White water area and North Falls area which is some 25 square miles.”
The organisers of the search mission are calling on the public for assistance in any form, whether monetary or food items. Those who wish to donate monetarily are urged to do so via Scotia Bank account number 114594.
The name of the account is: “Searching for missing aircraft pilot, Captain Nicky Persaud and Cargo loader, David Bisnauth”. Contact can also be made with Stephanie on 624-8257; Frank on 624-3298 or Rainforest Tours on telephone number 231-5661.
An Air Services Limited (ASL) aircraft transporting cargo from Mahdia to Karisparu, Region 8 (Potaro/Siparuni) reportedly went off radar around noon on December 28.The Britten-Norman Islander, bearing the registration number 8R-GHE, had two persons on board at the time, the captain, Nicky Persaud, 27, and cargo loader, Mr David Bisnauth, 51. Immediately after the spot tracker went dead, a search- and -rescue mission was established, but after one month without success, the search was called off.

By Rebecca Ganesh