One of the pieces found by the Ann’s Grove resident

LOCAL authorities are presently carrying out investigations to determine whether the discovery in Ann’s Grove of parts of what could possibly be that of an aircraft are actually from an airplane or remnants of a space rocket.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, Public Works Minister Robeson Benn said the assumption should not be made that the parts are those of an aircraft.

He pointed out that there is a real possibility that the articles could be the remnants of one of the booster rockets after being launched from the Arianespace Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, owned by France.

Minister Benn stated that regular launches are carried out by the company, and during this, part of the rocket would come off and land in the Atlantic Ocean and would wash up on shore. He reminded that this has occurred in Guyana before.

The Minister advised that until the serial numbers from the recovered wreckage are verified, one cannot say where the articles originated from.

Officers from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority were dispatched on Thursday to examine the articles so that a determination can be made as to where, and from which vessel it came, Minister Benn said.

Another newspaper, in an article yesterday, speculated that the wreckage could be part of the Air France Airbus that went down over the Atlantic Ocean on June 1, with 228 passengers and crew on board, while on route to France from Brazil.

While not totally discounting this suggestion, the Minister said that they cannot say for sure if that is the case, but measures have been taken to advise the representatives of these two countries, here in Guyana, of the find.

Contacted via telephone yesterday for a comment, Director General of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Elizabeth Harper, confirmed that the representatives of the two countries have been notified. She added that they are however awaiting a report from the local authorities before proceeding with an investigation.

This newspaper was unable to reach the French Consul or his deputy as they are both out of the Jurisdiction. However, an official from the Brazilian embassy disclosed that they will be checking on the items.

Meanwhile, as reported by the other newspaper, a resident of the East Coast Demerara village found the wreckage last week Friday at Hope Beach, and subsequently transported the pieces to his home, some distance inland.