Abandoned camp found at illegal Corentyne airstrip
Guyana Chronicle, 12 December 2007
The burnt-out aircraft (Photo courtesy of GDF)
MORE evidence has been unearthed that troops of the Guyana Defence
Force (GDF) have disrupted a wide-scale illegal operation in the
Corentyne area, some 80 miles upriver from the Orealla Village.
A senior GDF source yesterday said the troops in addition to their
discovery Monday morning, have found another abandoned camp, sited
about a mile from the illegal airstrip which was seized, and another
trail.
At the camp the soldiers found food and a generator which were also
burnt.
“This second trail is a very wide one and the soldiers are still
following it to determine where it leads,” the source said.
The GDF in a release Monday evening, said the discovery of the illegal
airstrip with the burnt-out Let 410 turboprop aircraft manufactured by
the Czech Republic, a still smoldering all terrain vehicle and a
bulldozer, which were in the middle of the airstrip, was as a result of
an operation which it launched the said morning.
The airstrip was sighted Monday by a GDF pilot who was on a routine
flight to New River. The pilot observed while over-flying that an
aircraft was parked halfway up the airstrip and several persons clad in
dark clothes were emerging from the jungle.
The aircraft, which carried a Venezuelan flag appeared to be severely
damaged after attempting to take off and had skidded off to the right,
the GDF statement said.
It is felt that the Czech-made aircraft was deliberately burnt sometime
between Sunday and Monday morning, as persons had seen the aircraft
over-flying the airstrip Sunday and had anticipated an interdiction
operation. The theory, the GDF said, was supported by the still
smoldering all terrain vehicle and the removal of the bulldozer’s
starter, when the troops got there.
Extensive construction works seemed to have been undertaken at the
airstrip which some 3,600 feet long, which is longer than the Ogle
aerodrome, and 375 feet wide, even wider than the runway at the Cheddi
Jagan International Airport, Timehri, the statement added.
It noted, however, that only some 1,800 feet of it was usable and the
construction seemed geared to upgrading the remainder of the airstrip.
After seizing the airstrip the troops conducted several probing patrols
and discovered a 25 feet trail that led for some two miles to the
Corentyne River, which suggested that the bulldozer and other equipment
may have been transported via the river.
The discovery of the airstrip, which is some 10 minutes flying due
southeast from Kwakwani, comes in the wake of the discovery and
destruction of another illegal airstrip in the Orealla area earlier
this year and reports of several aircraft sightings and landings at
remote airstrips in the interior.
It is believed that this airstrip was constructed to facilitate
trans-shipment of narcotics and the conduct of other illegal
activities, the GDF release added.
Guyana Chronicle, 12 December 2007
The burnt-out aircraft (Photo courtesy of GDF)
MORE evidence has been unearthed that troops of the Guyana Defence
Force (GDF) have disrupted a wide-scale illegal operation in the
Corentyne area, some 80 miles upriver from the Orealla Village.
A senior GDF source yesterday said the troops in addition to their
discovery Monday morning, have found another abandoned camp, sited
about a mile from the illegal airstrip which was seized, and another
trail.
At the camp the soldiers found food and a generator which were also
burnt.
“This second trail is a very wide one and the soldiers are still
following it to determine where it leads,” the source said.
The GDF in a release Monday evening, said the discovery of the illegal
airstrip with the burnt-out Let 410 turboprop aircraft manufactured by
the Czech Republic, a still smoldering all terrain vehicle and a
bulldozer, which were in the middle of the airstrip, was as a result of
an operation which it launched the said morning.
The airstrip was sighted Monday by a GDF pilot who was on a routine
flight to New River. The pilot observed while over-flying that an
aircraft was parked halfway up the airstrip and several persons clad in
dark clothes were emerging from the jungle.
The aircraft, which carried a Venezuelan flag appeared to be severely
damaged after attempting to take off and had skidded off to the right,
the GDF statement said.
It is felt that the Czech-made aircraft was deliberately burnt sometime
between Sunday and Monday morning, as persons had seen the aircraft
over-flying the airstrip Sunday and had anticipated an interdiction
operation. The theory, the GDF said, was supported by the still
smoldering all terrain vehicle and the removal of the bulldozer’s
starter, when the troops got there.
Extensive construction works seemed to have been undertaken at the
airstrip which some 3,600 feet long, which is longer than the Ogle
aerodrome, and 375 feet wide, even wider than the runway at the Cheddi
Jagan International Airport, Timehri, the statement added.
It noted, however, that only some 1,800 feet of it was usable and the
construction seemed geared to upgrading the remainder of the airstrip.
After seizing the airstrip the troops conducted several probing patrols
and discovered a 25 feet trail that led for some two miles to the
Corentyne River, which suggested that the bulldozer and other equipment
may have been transported via the river.
The discovery of the airstrip, which is some 10 minutes flying due
southeast from Kwakwani, comes in the wake of the discovery and
destruction of another illegal airstrip in the Orealla area earlier
this year and reports of several aircraft sightings and landings at
remote airstrips in the interior.
It is believed that this airstrip was constructed to facilitate
trans-shipment of narcotics and the conduct of other illegal
activities, the GDF release added.
No comments:
Post a Comment