Illegal aircraft found in Rupununi

Police found a foreign aircraft in the Santa Fe area, North Rupununi, and its pilot was among three persons seen running away from a graded piece of land used as an airstrip.

This discovery was made just a week after soldiers found another illegal airstrip, a chain saw, aviation fuel, 12 abandoned camps and several dug out trenches in the same area. Monday, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said that there was an ongoing exercise in the area after reports were made that an illegal aircraft was frequenting the area. Acting on information, ranks went to the area on Sunday and found over a dozen tengallon jars in the bushes. The party of policeman observed that a long strip of land had been cleared to make what looked like an airstrip. As the ranks were leaving, they saw an aircraft circling the cleared area. When they returned, they saw three men running from the plane after it had landed. The men managed to escape but the aircraft was secured. Divisional commander, along with another party of policemen, went to the area yesterday.

Kaieteur News has been informed that when the aircraft was examined, a quantity of dry ration, medical supplies, gents clothing, footwear, two hand-held radios, flashlights, cellular phones and an identification card were found, amongst other items. The cleared area where the aircraft landed is over one mile long and about fifty feet wide. It appears to have been recently graded. The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority has been notified and arrangements are being operationalized for a multi-agency team to be flown to that area to conduct further investigations. Over the past few years several illegal aircraft were seized by the state. (Kaieteurnews.com)