THE Royal Bahamas Defence Force yesterday expressed condolences to the families of Jason Allen and Lavan Paul, two former marines who died in a plane crash in Abaco on Monday.

The agency gave some insight into the backgrounds of the two men. #The RBDF said: “Acting Sub Lieutenant Lavan Paul joined the organisation as a member of Entry 48, on June 6, 2011. On completion of his initial training, he was immediately drafted to the Military Police Department, where he served until he was selected as an officer candidate to go to Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, on April 2012 to complete officer training. #“He was assigned to a patrol craft upon completion of the officer training with a view of earning a Bridge Watch Keeping Certificate before eventually joining the Airwing Department. He was appointed to the rank of acting sub lieutenant and assigned to the Airwing Department, where he served until he resigned from the organisation on July 17, 2017. #“Marine Seaman Allen joined the organisation as a member of Entry 52, on January 10, 2015. On completion of his initial training, he was immediately drafted to the Airwing Department, where he was assigned as a pilot-in-training/air crewman. He was later drafted to the Force Protection and Military Police Unit, where he served until his honourable discharge from the organisation on August 31, 2018. Allen’s time spent as a member of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force is greatly appreciated.” #Allen and Paul crashed about 2,000ft from the Treasure Cay runway shortly after 3.30pm on Monday. Police are still trying to piece together the suspicious circumstances that prompted the two men to fly the IAI Westward jet on Monday. #Captain Delvin Major, chief investigator of the Air Accident Investigation Authority, has said the pilots were not licensed to fly the plane. Allen was a student pilot. While Paul had an airline transport licence, he did not have the required type rating to fly the aircraft. #Police have opened a stolen plane investigation into the matter after the foreign pilots who flew the plane to Treasure Cay from the Dominican Republic filed a theft report on Tuesday.

The agency gave some insight into the backgrounds of the two men.

The RBDF said: “Acting Sub Lieutenant Lavan Paul joined the organisation as a member of Entry 48, on June 6, 2011. On completion of his initial training, he was immediately drafted to the Military Police Department, where he served until he was selected as an officer candidate to go to Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, on April 2012 to complete officer training.
“He was assigned to a patrol craft upon completion of the officer training with a view of earning a Bridge Watch Keeping Certificate before eventually joining the Airwing Department. He was appointed to the rank of acting sub lieutenant and assigned to the Airwing Department, where he served until he resigned from the organisation on July 17, 2017.

“Marine Seaman Allen joined the organisation as a member of Entry 52, on January 10, 2015. On completion of his initial training, he was immediately drafted to the Airwing Department, where he was assigned as a pilot-in-training/air crewman. He was later drafted to the Force Protection and Military Police Unit, where he served until his honourable discharge from the organisation on August 31, 2018. Allen’s time spent as a member of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force is greatly appreciated.”

Allen and Paul crashed about 2,000ft from the Treasure Cay runway shortly after 3.30pm on Monday. Police are still trying to piece together the suspicious circumstances that prompted the two men to fly the IAI Westward jet on Monday.

Captain Delvin Major, chief investigator of the Air Accident Investigation Authority, has said the pilots were not licensed to fly the plane. Allen was a student pilot. While Paul had an airline transport licence, he did not have the required type rating to fly the aircraft.

Police have opened a stolen plane investigation into the matter after the foreign pilots who flew the plane to Treasure Cay from the Dominican Republic filed a theft report on Tuesday.

FAMILY and friends are mourning the deaths of two former Royal Bahamas Defence Force marines who perished in a fiery plane crash in Abaco Monday.

Authorities have not officially revealed the identities of the men, but sources told The Tribune they are pilots Jason Allen and Lavan Paul. #Police said they received a report of the Treasure Cay, Abaco plane crash shortly after 3.30pm yesterday. #“Upon arrival, officers discovered an airplane in bushes some distance away from the Treasure Cay Airport fully engulfed,” police said. “Initial enquiries revealed that the airplane was observed taxing and a short time later smoke and flames were seen coming from the airplane. Additionally, two pilots were onboard the airplane when it crashed. Further checks were made and there were no signs of life onboard.” #Images of the scene told the story of the crash’s devastating impact, with parts of the plane strewn together in a jumbled mess. #One video of the crash posted to Facebook showed thick orange flames and black smoke billowing in the air. photo The scene of the plane crash in Abaco on Monday. #Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar, who has responsibility for aviation, said the plane – an IAI 1124 Westwind N790JR – left the Dominican Republic on Friday for Treasury Cay. He said the plane was scheduled to fly to New Providence yesterday. #“I think they were going to refuel probably, or pick up some passengers, we’re not sure,” he said. #He said the Air Accident Investigation Authority will arrive in Treasure Cay today to investigate the crash.

Authorities have not officially revealed the identities of the men, but sources told The Tribune they are pilots Jason Allen and Lavan Paul.

Police said they received a report of the Treasure Cay, Abaco plane crash shortly after 3.30pm yesterday.

“Upon arrival, officers discovered an airplane in bushes some distance away from the Treasure Cay Airport fully engulfed,” police said. “Initial enquiries revealed that the airplane was observed taxing and a short time later smoke and flames were seen coming from the airplane. Additionally, two pilots were onboard the airplane when it crashed. Further checks were made and there were no signs of life onboard.”

Images of the scene told the story of the crash’s devastating impact, with parts of the plane strewn together in a jumbled mess.

One video of the crash posted to Facebook showed thick orange flames and black smoke billowing in the air.

Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar, who has responsibility for aviation, said the plane – an IAI 1124 Westwind N790JR – left the Dominican Republic on Friday for Treasury Cay. He said the plane was scheduled to fly to New Providence yesterday.

“I think they were going to refuel probably, or pick up some passengers, we’re not sure,” he said.

He said the Air Accident Investigation Authority will arrive in Treasure Cay today to investigate the crash.

FIREFIGHTERS struggled to contain a sizeable blaze that erupted near the New Providence Ecology Park last night.

The blaze sent smoke billowing into the air and raised fears among nearby residents. #Officials emphasized that the fire was started at Manpower Scrap Metal, a private business that is not associated with the New Providence Ecology Park. #Assistant Superintendent of Police Audley Peters said police officers responded to the scene shortly before 8pm and, after assessing the site, realised the fire equipment could not reach the fire, which was at the centre of the property. Heavy equipment operators tried to contain the fire by erecting barriers around the flames on the western and northern sides. When he spoke to the press around 10.30, ASP Peters said firefighters were still determining whether to use their assets to extinguish the flames. He expected it to take hours to extinguish the fire. #The cause of the fire was unclear up to press time, but ASP Peters said old vehicles were in the area where the fire began. #No damage to building structures were reported but ASP Peters could not rule out the possibility that the fire would spread to nearby communities. #“I can’t say that I’m confident because you have a number of variables that you have to take into consideration, for instance the wind, ambers flying or a shift in the fire itself. What we will do is do our best to contain it as much as possible.” #Tall Pines MP Don Saunders said although the fire did not start at the landfill, it underscores the importance of regulating businesses in that area. #“We have to have a discussion beyond they ecology park,” he said. “This is evident that we have to have a wider discussion about how we keep this general area safe because we can’t have a whole compound that not only has the ecology park but also has other businesses and facilities. So I’m going to challenge my colleagues that we also have that discussion to ensure not only the ecology park does its part to stay safe because as you can see it isn’t enough for one facility to be putting in place all the mechanisms and protection they need but each and every business here has to play their part.”

The blaze sent smoke billowing into the air and raised fears among nearby residents.

Officials emphasized that the fire was started at Manpower Scrap Metal, a private business that is not associated with the New Providence Ecology Park.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Audley Peters said police officers responded to the scene shortly before 8pm and, after assessing the site, realised the fire equipment could not reach the fire, which was at the centre of the property. Heavy equipment operators tried to contain the fire by erecting barriers around the flames on the western and northern sides. When he spoke to the press around 10.30, ASP Peters said firefighters were still determining whether to use their assets to extinguish the flames. He expected it to take hours to extinguish the fire.

The cause of the fire was unclear up to press time, but ASP Peters said old vehicles were in the area where the fire began.

No damage to building structures were reported but ASP Peters could not rule out the possibility that the fire would spread to nearby communities.

“I can’t say that I’m confident because you have a number of variables that you have to take into consideration, for instance the wind, ambers flying or a shift in the fire itself. What we will do is do our best to contain it as much as possible.”

Tall Pines MP Don Saunders said although the fire did not start at the landfill, it underscores the importance of regulating businesses in that area.

“We have to have a discussion beyond they ecology park,” he said. “This is evident that we have to have a wider discussion about how we keep this general area safe because we can’t have a whole compound that not only has the ecology park but also has other businesses and facilities. So I’m going to challenge my colleagues that we also have that discussion to ensure not only the ecology park does its part to stay safe because as you can see it isn’t enough for one facility to be putting in place all the mechanisms and protection they need but each and every business here has to play their part.”

 

IMMIGRATION officials have denied detaining a Cuban woman after the boat she was on capsized in Bahamian waters three months ago, believing her to have died onboard the vessel along with several others.

Adriana Maria Caro, 22, was said to have been onboard a Cuban vessel that was intercepted by Cuban, Bahamian, Turks Island and US Coast Guard officials in early March. #According to court documents, for some “unknown reason” there was an accident on Cay Sal Bank and the boat subsequently exploded and sank. It has been said that some 15 to 20 people died in the incident. photo Adriana Maria Caro #Surviving passengers, according to immigration officials, were repatriated to Cuba in April, court documents also note. #However, relatives of Mrs Caro have said they have reason to believe she has not been deported to Cuba and is still being detained at a local immigration facility. #Last month, a Supreme Court judge granted the attorneys representing Mrs Caro leave to issue a writ of habeas corpus against Attorney General Carl Bethel, Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson, Immigration Director Clarence Russell and Officer in Charge of the Carmichael Detention Centre Peter Joseph. #Immigration officials were also ordered to prove that they acted lawfully when they allegedly detained a Cuban woman, believed to be Mrs Caro, who was reportedly placed in their care after the incident. #In an affidavit filed on Tuesday, Mr Joseph said that Mrs Caro is not being held at the facility nor was she ever detained there, adding he believed she had died onboard the ill-fated vessel. #He also explained that Mrs Caro was mistakenly identified for another female detainee who was in custody in relation to a separate matter.

Adriana Maria Caro, 22, was said to have been onboard a Cuban vessel that was intercepted by Cuban, Bahamian, Turks Island and US Coast Guard officials in early March.

According to court documents, for some “unknown reason” there was an accident on Cay Sal Bank and the boat subsequently exploded and sank. It has been said that some 15 to 20 people died in the incident.

Surviving passengers, according to immigration officials, were repatriated to Cuba in April, court documents also note.

However, relatives of Mrs Caro have said they have reason to believe she has not been deported to Cuba and is still being detained at a local immigration facility.

Last month, a Supreme Court judge granted the attorneys representing Mrs Caro leave to issue a writ of habeas corpus against Attorney General Carl Bethel, Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson, Immigration Director Clarence Russell and Officer in Charge of the Carmichael Detention Centre Peter Joseph.

Immigration officials were also ordered to prove that they acted lawfully when they allegedly detained a Cuban woman, believed to be Mrs Caro, who was reportedly placed in their care after the incident.

In an affidavit filed on Tuesday, Mr Joseph said that Mrs Caro is not being held at the facility nor was she ever detained there, adding he believed she had died onboard the ill-fated vessel.

He also explained that Mrs Caro was mistakenly identified for another female detainee who was in custody in relation to a separate matter.