(Trinidad Express) The Sankat family has expressed thanks to those who offered support and prayers to their son, Nishal Sankat.
The 22-year-old was reunited with his family on Wednesday night.
His family issued a statement yesterday, saying the concern shown for their son and the supportive conversations in the wider community on the health and other challenges young students face especially when away from home, were indeed thoughtful, comforting and appreciated.
“Professor Clement Sankat and his family have been reunited with their son Nishal and would like to thank the Almighty for his gracious intervention. The family is reminded of Psalm 9:1, “I will give thanks to you Lord with all my heart, I will tell of your wonderful deeds”. The family thanks the people of Trinidad and Tobago, of Belize and West Indians across the diaspora for their tremendous messages of support and prayers offered throughout this trying time,” the statement said.
The family extended thanks to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, in particular, to the Minister of Education and the Minister of National Security, and to colleagues across the private and public sectors, family members and friends. “Sincere gratitude is also extended to Professor Sankat’s colleagues at the University of Belize and especially to the Chairman and members of the Board of Trustees. Our heartfelt thanks to colleagues at the UWI, including the Vice-Chancellor, the University Registrar and the Campus Principal at the UWI St Augustine; other Faculty and staff of both UWI and UTT for their prayers and good wishes. Thanks to the Hillview College and the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) family, including its President, their staff and Nishal’s friends at both institutions. To these, the family extends sincere gratitude for the support received,” the family stated.
The Sankat family said that the State and Federal authorities in Melbourne, Brevard County, Florida, acted in a professional manner and also thanked the Government of Canada who took a keen interest in their son’s welfare. “The family is especially grateful to his Distinguished Attorney in Melbourne, Mr Greg Eisenmenger for his outstanding efforts. A special thanks to Rev Brown and their family of Melbourne for their spiritual comfort and support. It would be remiss of us not to mention our national airline, Caribbean Airlines for their supportive administration and flight crew,” it stated.
Moving ahead, the family stated, focus would continue to be on their son’s welfare.
Sankat arrived in Trinidad at around 10:30pm on board a Caribbean Airlines flight from the Fort Lauderdale International airport. He was accompanied by two FBI agents and his father.
Sankat, a student, was arrested on September 21 after he jumped a fence at the Melbourne International Airport and attempted to enter the cockpit of an American Airlines Airbus 321. The aircraft was parked in a maintenance hangar.
Sankat pleaded guilty to the charge of burglary to a conveyance and agreed to be deported and to never be allowed to return to the United States as part of a plea agreement.
