Search teams were up to yesterday yet to find any sign of the Air Services Limited (ASL) plane that went missing just over a week ago over the Region Eight jungle after taking off from a Mahdia airstrip.
The Britten Norman Islander, piloted by Captain Nicholas Persaud, 28, with cargo handler David Bisnauth, 51, on board, vanished without a trace on December 28, two minutes after it left the airstrip. The plane was on a routine trip from Mahdia to Karisparu in what should have been a 15-minute flight.
Carol, sister of the missing pilot, said the search began at 10am yesterday with fair weather and finished at 5:30pm. She also related that she was not hearing much from relevant authorities.
Director-General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority Zulficar Mohamed told Stabroek News that yesterday’s search was carried out with a 24-man team on the ground, with support from two aircrafts overhead.
He assured that search will recommence at first light today. He indicated that they have almost covered the entire area of high interest but could not commit to say when the search would be called off since he pointed out that the area is dense.
On Sunday, a Canadian Twin Otter aircraft equipped with a magnetic reader, which was in Guyana undertaking works for oil exploration company CGX, assisted in aerial surveillance.
