Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn says the object found near the Mahaica River yesterday is likely part of a rocket booster from a satellite launching on March 22 in French Guiana.
He added that such discoveries have been made before. According to Zulficar Mohammed,
Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the last time an instance such as this one occurred was three years ago.
Paul Anthony Bispat, a resident of Mahaica said that at about 9:30am yesterday he and his family went down to the river bank which separates Mahaica and Mahaicony to catch fish and crabs when they spotted the object.
He described the object as being approximately 15ft long and 7ft wide. He added that the letters (YN) were inscribed on the object. He said in an attempt to see whether there were any other markings on it, he and others washed the object but found no additional markings.
Benn said that on March 22 there was a launching at the space station in Kourou, French Guiana and the Ministry of Public Works and GCAA are under the impression that the object found might be as a result of the launching.
“When the rocket launches, the shielding which covers the booster falls off and lands in the sea and I am convinced the shielding of the rocket launched by Kourou in French Guiana ended here via sea,” Benn said.
Benn said that arrangements will be made to remove the object from Mahaica and Bispat said yesterday morning while he was on site, officials of the ministry were there as well.
