Over unauthorized aircraft landing: Police found nothing suspicious on the flight
By: Bonnke Fofanah
As investigation continues over the unauthorized aircraft that landed at the country’s International Airport on 19th September, 2024, flying from Liberia to Mexico, police say, they found nothing suspicious on the said flight but said all four people found on the aircraft have been handed over to the Criminal Investigations Department for further questioning, this is according to a Public Notice from the Ministry of Information and Civic Education.
‘’Two air controllers are among those moved to the Criminal Investigations for further questioning taking the total number of people under investigations to six,’’ the public notice stated.
According to the statement from the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, of the four people found on board, three are Mexican nationals and a fourth carries a Spanish passport.
‘’The Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA), security forces and the office of National security have since taken over the technical and security Investigations. The aircraft has been closed and the keys handed over to the ONS. Police are guarding the aircraft,’’ the government added.
However, preliminary investigations has so far revealed that the aircraft did not fly from any recognised airfield in Liberia , but said the aircraft did not have a landing permit adding that they did not contact the Air Traffic Controller at the country’s International Airport before landing.
‘’ The aircraft was flying under a fake registration number, with the parts of the registration number seemingly scratched off. The Crew claimed they had radio failure before landing, a technical inspection revealed that the radio was working, ‘’ the preliminary investigations reveal.
The preliminary investigations added that the crew members also refused to submit their documents to Sierra Leonean officials despite officials repeatedly asking them, whilst the flight captain who claimed he does not speak English later spoke English and revealed that he was paid $20,000 to the trip from Liberia to Mexico.
‘’ SLCAA is preparing a technical report of the incident and will announce more details to the public in the coming days. The public is informed that Sierra Leone’s airspace and FNA are safe for normal flight operations,’’ the government assured.
