Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 8:32 AM
Subject: Nevrdun News - Prayer Request Update 19
Here is the latest from news found on the Internet. If you don't have time to read this entire message, read the title of the article and then scroll down to the last paragraph . . .
from Nov. 18 guyanachronicle.com . . .
Search for Missing Aircraft, crew officially called off
"As difficult as it may seem, we have done everything we can possibly do" - Minister Robeson Benn
By Delana Isles
Aerial and specified ground searches, for the Beech King Air N87V aircraft that went missing with its occupants in the Mazaruni area last November 1, have been officially called off.
Consequently, the three persons in it, when the plane disappeared, have been declared lost or possibly dead.
"As difficult as it may seem, we have done everything we can possibly do," Transport and Hydraulics Minister, Mr. Robeson Benn told the media at briefing in his ministry yesterday. He said the basis for discontinuing the quest is their conclusion that the passengers in the aircraft have perished. According to him, if any of them had survived, the search and rescue parties would have picked up some signal with their equipment.
Benn added that, after 15 days of intensive searching, officials involved still do not have a firm location where the aircraft may have gone down.
He said it was a difficult moment for all the agencies that were participating in the searches as well as the relatives of the pilot, Captain James Wesley Barker, 28, and First Officer Chris Paris, 23, both United States (U.S.) citizens and geophysics technician Patrick Murphy, 20, a Canadian.
Benn said acquisition of photographs of the areas searched is being analyzed by a company in the U.S. and any information supplied will be checked.
He said they have already received some results from that source but none of it led to the successful locating of the aircraft or its crew.
The minister said the Government of Guyana and related agencies are in the process of drawing up a draft search and rescue document that will see the establishment of a particular body that will be responsible for the coordination of any future such venture, both maritime and aerial.
Director of Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Mr. Zulficar Mohamed, who was also at the briefing, said, while no aerial and specified ground search will be conducted, residents around the suspected area where the aircraft disappeared as well as other individuals who know the terrain will continue.
He said several reports were received from miners in the vicinity and other avenues but no signal was ever picked up from any of the reported areas in the 200 miles and 28,000 metres flown over.
Mohamed, recounting the process by which the search was conducted, said none of the sophisticated equipment, which included thermal heating, infra-red and day cameras, direction finding devices as well as global positional system (GPS), has yielded any results.
He said each of the eight aircraft which commenced the operation, two British Norman Islanders, one Skyvan, two Lynx helicopters, one Piper Cherokee, one Piper Navaho and one Cessna 172, were assigned blocks to comb systematically.
Mohamed said another Beech King joined the effort with no success and, as a result, other resources, including helicopters and two more Beech Kings with electronic equipment were employed to no avail.
This was followed by intense ground searches in identified areas of interest, and they did not yield anything either, he said.
However, Mohamed said helicopters and other resources will remain on standby in the event of a positive sighting of the aircraft or its crew.
The N87V Beech King aircraft, which was contracted by Terraquest from Dynamic, Aviation Inc. of Bridgewater, Virginia, had been conducting airborne geophysical surveys for uranium deposits on behalf of Prometheus Resources (Guyana) Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canadian company, U308 Corp.
U308 Corp announced, last September, that the Guyana Government had granted Prometheus Resources Inc. a one year extension of its reconnaissance permits for the exploration in this country.
Terraquest Limited, a specialist in airborne geophysics based in Markham, Ontario, was contracted to undertake the work in the Guyana interior.
Today's caribbeannetnews.com article contained much of the same information with the addition of this . . .
"But the mining company to which the aircraft was attached and the Dynamic Aviation owner of the plane are currently working with villagers to continue the ground search for the plane."
This one just in:
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 12:39 PM
Subject: Nevrdun News - Prayer Request Update 20
This has been quite a roller coaster ride hasn't it?
If you've been gripping the safety bar till your knuckles are white during this whole ordeal, it's time to let the bar go, throw your arms up in the air and ride a few rails with wild abandon, shouting, "Praise the Lord!"
No, the plane hasn't been found.
Yet.
But God is still in the miracle business and this ride hasn't ended yet.
Wes just called.
His bags are packed (uh . . . probably better make that bag), he's ready to go.
He and another pilot, John, were loading up as we spoke. The green light had just come. The wheels on the plane with the advanced technology on board will be rolling down the runway shortly. They plan to overnight in Ft. Lauderdale, and Lord willing, will be on their way to Guyana first thing in the morning. Oh God! Thank you! thank you! thank You!!
Wes recently talked with Chris' fiance. "The not knowing is so hard," she said. You can imagine.
Perhaps the end is in sight.
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