by STAFF WRITER
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Nov 29, CMC – The Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines (CAL) announced that it had temporarily withdrawn one of its aircraft from service after it was involved in a collision with another aircraft at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) in Guyana on Tuesday.
The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said it would launch an investigation into the collision. In a brief statement, the GCAA said the incident occurred between the two aircraft around 7:50 am (local time) on the international apron.
It gave no further details, but CMC understands that the incident involved an aircraft from the Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines (CAL) and the Jamaica-based Fly Jamaica.
In a statement, CAL said that its Boeing 737-800 aircraft operating BW 527, from JFK International, New York to CJIA was involved in an incident on the ramp.
“All passengers and crew were safely disembarked. The aircraft has since been temporarily withdrawn from service and all appropriate inspections and procedures, along with an investigation are in progress. “Caribbean Airlines re-affirms our commitment to the safety of our valued customers and crew and thanks the public for your continued support,” CAL said in the statement.
GCAA director Retired Col. Egbert Field told the Guyana-based Demerara Waves On Line News that the right wing of the CAL plane knocked the tail cone of the Fly Jamaica aircraft which was parked. The tail cone is the exhaust for the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU).
“We are told that the right wing of the Caribbean Airlines aircraft came into contact with the tail cone of the Fly Jamaica aircraft. As to the extent of the damage, I am still awaiting the report from the investigating team,” he said.
Field said neither of the two planes would be allowed to leave Guyana until investigators have completed their work, repairs are done and they are certified again as being airworthy.
He could not immediately say whether the incident was a result of one of the planes being positioned badly.
“I have asked that the aircraft remain in position so that our team of inspectors can conduct their investigations which would entail taking the measurements etc to ensure, checking to see whether the aircraft were properly parked on the taxi-line position; all these things will come out from the report,” he said.
