Fly Jamaica aircraft crashes at CJ IA

A Fly Jamaica aircraft en route to Toronto Canada was forced to make an emergency landing at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, yesterday. There were 128 people onbopard—120 passengers and eight crew members.

The aircraft, a Boeing 757, had taken off from the airport just over an hour before it crashed on return. According to a passenger, Invor Bedessee, said that about 30 minutes into the flight the captain reported that there was a problem with the hydraulic system. The hydraulic system controls the braking system, the rudder, the flaps and some other movable parts. The aircraft was given permission to land and by then all the emergency services were in place.

On landing the aircraft could not stop because of the failed braking system. It taxied onto the extended runway and continued into a sand pile that is strategically placed at most airports. The crash forced the temporary closure of the airport but by 7:00 hours there was a limited re-opening of the airport. Bedessee said that the captain did an excellent job stopping the plane even to the point of using the perimeter fence and collapsing the right wing in the process. Everyone evacuated safely but six people were injured during the evacuation, perhaps colliding with the tarmac at the end of the chute that had been deployed. Some of the injured were taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre for non-life threatening injuries. There were also no broken bones. Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson had an onsite briefing early this morning. There will be a full press briefing at 10:00 hours at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

(KaieteurNews)