Caribbean Airlines Team Heads to Guyana to Probe Runway Crash

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Caribbean Airlines Chairman George Nicholas has led a team of senior airline officials to Guyana after a flight from Trinidad crashed on the runway at Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Flight BW 523, a Boeing 737-800, was en route from Trinidad’s Piarco International Airport when it ran off the runway at 1:32 AM with 157 passengers and six crew on board.

Trinidad Transport Minister Devant Maharaj expressed the government’s “deepest concerns to the passengers and crew on the BW 523 flight.”

Maharaj said the “first priority is to the family and passengers of those who were in the Caribbean Airlines flight.” According to the minister, 101 passengers had received medical treatment, and four were seriously injured. There were no deaths reported.

Two Trinidad cabinet officials, Minister of Housing and the Environment Dr Roodal Moonilal and Minister of Trade and Industry Stephen Cadiz are both already in Guyana on government business and will visit passengers.

Caribbean Airlines merged with Air Jamaica in May.