-probe underway
Following a near miss on Monday night at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, the licences of the Roraima Airways and CAL pilots have been suspended as investigations continue.
Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Egbert Fields, told Stabroek News yesterday, “All parties involved in the incident had their licences suspended because you don’t know what has taken place, who’s culpable, and who was not compliant. The standard rule is to suspend all licenses until we get a preliminary report. Depending on that report, we can determine whose suspension should be lifted. You don’t want someone to suffer a suspension for any length of time if they were compliant—it’s like jailing the wrong person.
“That’s why everybody’s licence, even the Trinidadians’, has been suspended. While we don’t have control over their documents, the Trinidadian authorities do, and their licensing authority would have also suspended them. So, in essence, those involved are on administrative leave or something to that effect,” he explained.
Fields noted that the investigation could take a day or two, depending on how quickly it is conducted.
Yesterday afternoon the CJIA finally issued a statement on the incident.
“The Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) confirms that a runway incursion incident occurred on the main runway on the evening of March 31, at approximately 23:14hrs.
“Preliminary information indicates a Roraima Airways aircraft was turning off the main runway then appears to have changed its direction resulting in both the Roraima Aircraft and Caribbean Airlines being on the runway at the same time.
“CJIA is working closely with the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident. The airport is providing its full support and cooperation to the GCAA, which is leading the investigation.
“The safety of all passengers and aircraft is CJIA’s top priority. We are committed to ensuring a comprehensive review of this incident to determine the cause and implement any necessary corrective actions”, the statement said.
The incident involved a Roraima Airways Islander aircraft and a Caribbean Airlines (CAL) Boeing 737, both of which were on the runway at the same time—the Islander was taxiing while the CAL aircraft was landing.
Director of Aviation at Roraima Airways, Gerald Gouveia Jr., issued a statement to Stabroek News yesterday, acknowledging the runway incident.
“The matter reportedly involved the movement of two aircraft on the active runway and is being treated with the seriousness it deserves by the relevant authorities,” the statement read.
Emphasizing that safety remains the highest priority, Roraima Airways maintained that its pilots conducted normal and safe operations, following Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructions.
“We are fully supportive of the GCAA’s efforts to investigate this incident thoroughly and to take any steps necessary to reinforce safety systems. The aviation industry operates on trust, precision, and accountability, and we stand firmly behind all initiatives that enhance those principles in our airspace and at our airports,” the statement concluded.
A passenger who was onboard the Caribbean Airlines flight shared their experience in a comment on the news item in yesterday’s Stabroek News.
“I was on that flight, and everyone felt the braking, the slight forward momentum of their bodies, and then the hard reverse thrust of the engines. Given the circumstances, the pilots did extremely well to avoid a collision. Kudos also to the cabin crew, who maintained their composure and friendliness, especially the steward, who was quite humorous.”
Efforts to contact CJIA’s Chief Executive Officer, Ramesh Ghir and Caribbean Airlines for comment on the matter proved futile.
