By Erica Williams
A Cessna 206 aircraft heading to the interior crashed on take-off at the Ogle International Airport yesterday morning leaving one woman injured.
Shamica Monroe, who is five months pregnant, was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital and her mother later indicated that her condition as well as that of her unborn child had been stabilized.
Monroe was travelling to Kato, Region 8, on the flight that took off around 9 am, along with two other passengers and the pilot of the aircraft.
Monroe sustained injuries to her back, according to Eddie Doolal, Administrative and Finance Manager, Fenix Airways Inc.
He added that the pilot, Raul Seecharran was in a stable condition as well and was expected to be discharged from the St Joseph Mercy Hospital today.
Two other passengers were treated at the Balwant Singh Hospital and sent away earlier yesterday.
“The company sympathizes with all the affected persons, especially the passengers, and express our sincere gratitude to the personnel at the Ogle International Airport Inc for their assistance,” Doolal said.
The plane, belonging to Fenix Airways Inc bearing registration number 8R-MML, during the course of take-off came back down onto the runway, veered off to the left and eventually flipped over, according to airport spokesman, Kit Nascimento.
He added that the aircraft started from the western end and was about halfway down the runway when it began to take-off. It was further stated that after dropping back down, the aircraft veered off the runway, missing a generator shed before flipping over close to the northern airport fence. Stabroek News was told that the doors of the aircraft had to be pried open to free the passengers and pilot.
Nascimento added that the airport response team went into immediate action along with a fire brigade which was on site within two minutes of the accident occurring. “The pilot, a male and female passenger sustained minor injuries, they walked to the terminal. The other female passenger [Monroe] was sent to the hospital,” via ambulance which happened to be on site at the time, Nascimento said.
The aircraft was reportedly carrying the four passengers along with freight destined for the interior.
The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority was conducting investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident, when Stabroek News visited the Ogle International Airport.
When asked about the airline, Nascimento could not give much information but said it has been operating for some time now and was a member of the aircraft association. He said it was “a relatively small outfit” and flies charters.
The particular charter was a passenger and freight charter, he said.
Stabroek News was told that Fenix Airways Inc is an American company and operates out of the Ogle Airport.
Zarena Ali, one of the passengers who was onboard the flight and received minor injuries said she could not recall what precisely happened, “The plane took off and then it tried to go up in the air but then I felt dizzy. So when it came down back, I didn’t exactly know what happened, but I am thankful to have not received any serious injuries,” Ali said.
