Acting Commissioner of Police Henry Greene says two persons have been charged with forgery of documents as investigations into the disappearance of a small aircraft from the Anna Regina runway more than three weeks ago continue.
Greene told reporters on Thursday that police were still searching for the aircraft while investigations were ongoing. According to initial reports the aircraft went missing some time between October 14 and 15. Since the disappearance of the aircraft, three officials of Fenix Airways, the company which leased the aircraft, were detained. They were subsequently released after habeas corpus writs were filed in the High Court on their behalf. The blue and white Piper Seneca aircraft with red stripes and the marking 8RGAA on the tail was sold by Air Services to Fenix Airways Inc about a month ago, but the company did not pay in full and so the registration of the aircraft has remained with it pending full payment. Residents had told this newspaper that they had seen the aircraft circling before touching down. Vladimir Vanzo, the major shareholder of Fenix Airways, had said that the pilot of the plane had requested to use the aircraft to transport his family to Essequibo. He said the pilot landed the plane and escorted his family to a relative’s home but when he returned the aircraft was missing.
The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) head Zulficar Mohamed said in a statement that while the whereabouts of the aircraft was still unknown, neighbouring states such as Venezuela, Suriname and Brazil had been alerted. The GCAA Director noted that several of its regulations had been breached and consideration was being given to imposing the charges where necessary.
