HAVING recorded close to 12hrs of flying, the search party engaged in trying to track down the missing Air Services Limited (ASL) Highlander aircraft have recorded no success on day three, despite receiving reports from various persons claiming to have evidence of where the downed ASL plane might be.

Search and rescue teams which have entered their third day of operation have not been able to draw any closer to where the downed plane and/or the two persons who had been on board might be.

Weather conditions have also been taking a toll on the operation, which has seen the pooling of resources to assist in the search and rescue operation. Sources close to the operation have indicated that, by day three, the survival kit which is usually on board aircraft would have been exhausted. This normally happens three days after a plane has encountered difficulties and becomes grounded, once there are survivors.

The Ministry of Transport has reported that, with close to 12 hours of flying on day three and a total of approximately 30 hours of flying, the search parties have again came up blank in regard to locating anything of value.

One miner reportedly indicated yesterday that he had spotted the plane and two dead bodies, but when rescuers arrived at the location given by the miner, there was nothing to suggest that that miner’s story was factual.

In its report following the day’s operations, the search and rescue team, through the Ministry of Transport, indicated that the search area had been widened following reports that the plane had been seen close to its intended destination of Karisparu, an Amerindian community in Region Eight.

After that report had been received by the Command Centre, a decision was made to expand the search area to include Winiperu, Taffy, Black Water and Konawaruk River, which were already within the identified areas of interest for the search teams.

The search area has reportedly been expanded to 60 square miles and approximately 10 miles from Mahdia, based on reported sightings; this area is under intense investigation. However, as the teams worked, they were forced to abort the day’s operation at approximately 17:20 hrs because of inclement weather and restricted sunlight.

The search teams have been equipped with an aircraft locator transmitter (ELT), a device which aids in tracking aircraft beyond where the eyes can see. The mission has also been assisted by Tesouro Resources, a mining company, through its finance manager who joined in the search, according to a press release.

Two fixed wing aircraft and three rotor wing aircraft (helicopters), including one Guyana Defence Force chopper, continued the search yesterday.

The release also added that the search was aided by Phoenix Aircraft through aerial searches, even as the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority and the Guyana Defence Force Special Forces remained in Mahdia on standby for deployment.

The missing Air Services’ Cessna Britten Norman Islander 8R-GHE was operating on a flight between Mahdia and Karisparu in Region 8, Pataro Siparuni, when it suddenly lost all communication with the control tower. On board were 27-year-old Captain Nicholas Persaud and 51-year-old baggage loader David Bisnauth.
The search continues today.