A third suspect, who was injured after the plane in which he was in crash-landed at 9 Miles Airstrip, Issano, Middle Mazaruni River two weeks ago has been discharged from the hospital and is likely to be charged soon.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that the suspect, who is a pilot was recently discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) where he was nursing a fractured right arm and minor bruises about his face which he sustained during the crash. He also tested positive for COVID-19 and has since recovered.
The suspect is currently in police custody and is likely to appear in court soon.
He was among three foreign nationals who were arrested following the discovery of the aircraft.
His two accomplices, Juan Ivan Fortool and Manoel Edson Pinheiro Costa were charged last week with entering the country illegally. They both pleaded not guilty and were remanded to prison until September 30th, 2020.
The police had announced on September 14th that a red and white 206 Cessna, suspected to be a Brazilian aircraft and three male foreign nationals — a 38-year-old pilot from Boa Vista, Brazil, a 29-year-old pilot from Tumeremo, Venezuela, and a 35-year-old internet technician from Manaus, Brazil — were found at the 9 Miles Airstrip, Issano.
The police said the men claimed they were en route to neighbouring Suriname with another aircraft when their aircraft developed mechanical problems.
However, it was noted that the aircraft was examined and no visible damage was seen on it. Searches were conducted on the aircraft but nothing illegal was found.
The police later confirmed that a second aircraft was found the same day, some distance from where the first was discovered. In a separate statement, the police had said Joint Services ranks found a blue and white Beechcraft in a clump of bushes. The aircraft was badly damaged.
Bags of an undisclosed amount of suspected cocaine and the lifeless body of Brazilian national, Alessandro Eduardo Petravieius, 49, were found in the aircraft.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum had previously told Stabroek News that the police were able to ascertain that the two aircraft are connected. Information, he said, revealed that after the blue and white Beechcraft crash-landed on September 14th, the occupants of the second aircraft , a red and white 206 Cessna travelled to provide “support” to the passengers.
