Public Works Minister Juan Edghill has disclosed that the black box from the Guyana Defence Force helicopter which crashed earlier this month in Region Seven and claimed the lives of five servicemen has been extracted and taken to the United States with the aim of retrieving critical data.
During a press conference today, Edghill disclosed an accident and incident investigator was appointed to probe the incident.
According to the Public Works Minister, last week, he granted approval for the investigator to travel to the US to deliver the black box to the National Transportation and Safety Board for the retrieval of data to aid the ongoing investigation in ascertaining what transpired in the December 6 crash.
Edghill also dismissed reports that the military chopper was transporting an engine for a miner at the time of the accident.
The GDF previously said that the helicopter was transporting army senior officials on a Command Mission to Guyana’s borders where troops are stationed.
The victims of the crash are Brigadier (retd) Gary Beaton; Lieutenant Colonel Michael Shahoud; Lieutenant Colonel Sean Welcome; Lieutenant Colonel Michael Charles, and Sergeant Jason Khan.
Two soldiers survived the crash: Corporal Dwayne Jackson and Lieutenant Andio Crawford.
On December 6, the Bell 412 helicopter left GDF Headquarters at Camp Ayanganna at 09:24h, and travelled 144 miles to Olive Creek, where it arrived at 10:27h. After refuelling, the helicopter departed at 10:58h for a 58-mile journey to Arau but crashed in the jungle.
Efforts are being made to extract the wreckage from the crash site. The helicopter suffered significant damage, particularly in the fuselage, with only a few pieces remaining.
