— search continues
Almost a week after the Guyana government called off its search and rescue operation for the missing US registered aircraft, indicating that the three persons on board were feared dead, the three companies for which the men worked are continuing their search but so far there has been no luck in locating the plane or its occupants.
Nancy Chan-Palmateer, Vice President, Investor Relations of U3O8 Corp, one of the companies involved, yesterday told Stabroek News that their field teams “continue to move through and search specific areas, which takes time given the density and rugged terrain that they’re navigating.” She said while there have been no new developments to date, the ground searches will continue.
It was on Monday the Guyana government had called off its search and rescue operation and following this move Public Relations Officer of the Dynamic Aviation Inc (DAI), Rick Ruff had told Stabroek News that DAI still hoped that the crew members are alive and will continue to search.
“We are still focused on trying to find our crew. We have hope that they are alive and we will continue,” Ruff had said via telephone from his US office.
And General Manager of Terraquest Ltd, Stephen Barrie had also confirmed from his Canada office that his company, in collaboration with DAI, will continue searching for the missing plane.
The government’s decision was announced by Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn who had said the three men were presumed dead.
Benn had said that it was a difficult decision to make, but stated that it was futile to continue the search after 15 days with no sign of the three men who were aboard the Beach King Aircraft. Americans James Wesley Barker, 28, and Chris Paris, 23, the Captain and First Officer, respectively, along with Canadian Patrick Murphy, a geophysics technician were on board the plane. The aircraft was chartered from DAI by Terraquest to conduct geophysical surveys on behalf of Prometheus Resources (Guyana) Inc, a subsidiary of the Toronto-based U3O8 Corporation. The aircraft was scheduled to operate in the Chi Chi – Imbaimadai area located in Cuyuni and following four hours, thirty minutes in the area it was expected to return to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
“As difficult as it may seem we have done everything that we could do or that we can possibly do… We have expended all the resources, the time and the effort that we could at this stage of the game… until anything else happens we have concluded that the aircraft and its occupants are lost,” Benn had said.
