Dr Myles and Ruth Munroe
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
DR MYLES Munroe was talking on his cell phone with pastors of Bahamas Faith Ministries (BFM) in Freeport, Grand Bahama, when his Lear Jet crashed on Sunday, killing all nine on board.
The Big T can also reveal further details of the accident, with an official close to the investigations confirming yesterday that as the plane prepared for landing, its wing clipped a crane, causing it to roll, invert and then crash. The jet did not explode, contrary to earlier reports, and the incident lasted between nine and ten seconds. “They wouldn’t have felt anything,” said the official.
Garden Hills MP Dr Kendal Major described yesterday how he disbelieved the notion that his longtime “spiritual father” was on board the ill-fated jet until he learnt that Dr Munroe was on an abruptly ended phone call with pastors at the airport awaiting his arrival.
“I was in my home with my family, watching television, relaxing on a Sunday,” said the longtime BFM member, who spoke to The Big T following a press conference at the International Diplomat Centre on Carmichael Road where memorial and funeral plans for Dr Munroe and his wife, Ruth, were announced. The funeral will be held on December 4 and the service broadcast live on television.
“I got a call from my assistant who said that he heard there was a plane crash and five minutes later the phone started ringing quite excessively and I got quite a bit concerned.,” Dr Major said. “I think this was about 6 o’clock. And then I was told that it was his plane. My daughter called crying because she was told that I was on the plane and so there was a bit of a confusion. I dismissed it. I just really dismissed it because I thought it couldn’t be true. It cannot be true.
“But not until I called the pastors in Freeport and they said that they were actually at the airport, waiting and talking with him as he was approaching landing - but then, suddenly, there was no more communication. That’s when we knew that it was his plane and they started the recovery efforts; so it became very real to me at that point.”
Dr Munroe officiated Dr Major’s marriage ceremony and was the man who Dr Major said prompted his entrance into politics.
“I know Pastor Myles has been to many of us larger than life. But you know, I’ve been consoled very, very quickly because I recognise we were prepared and they’ve taught us well. We’ve always operated on a spirit of excellence and the expectation that these things could happen.
“All things that happen are well done in the sight of God so from that standpoint I’m not too surprised.”
Comments
spoitier 10 years ago
That is a myth that they tell us and because we are not on our own plane we have to follow it.
dfitzerl 10 years ago
The reality is that commercial airlines ask you to turn off all devices because they want your undivided attention during those critical parts of flight. Not because it affects the airplane.
spoitier 10 years ago
Exactly
Clamshell 10 years ago
Oh? Then why don't they tell you to put away your books and newspapers?
Clamshell 10 years ago
You are right, Duppy, passengers are not supposed to use a cell phone during flights, especially takeoff and landing. But you see people do it all the time. There's probably no way to know if that caused a problem, but for safety sake you just don't do it. What was so terribly important that it couldn't wait a couple of minutes? Even good people, like Dr. Munroe, can get carried away with their earthly sense of self-importance.
TalRussell 10 years ago
The Comrade Captain would have been required to instruct Dr. Myles and all passengers about the tolerance of on board use of electronic devices such as smartphone at all altitudes. Based upon the low-visibility on the day of landing approach, the crew should have instructed passengers to turn off their devices during landing. We still have not been told what, if any, voice communications took place between the Freeport airport's tower and the crew? Unless recently installed, there is no radar at Freeport's airport?
spoitier 10 years ago
That is a myth if you ask anyone with their own plane they would tell you that
SP 10 years ago
3 qualified experts commenting here or typical judgmental natural geniuses?
1234 10 years ago
No 3 qualified Geni-Asses. It was a private jet, not a commercial airline. The rules are quite different.
Clamshell 10 years ago
Private jets use the same communication and navigation systems as commercial aircraft, lamebrain, regardless of the rules. Since you're an expert on flight rules, tell us what the rule is for cruising at just 100' off the deck more than 3 miles from the airport. We're listening ...
SP 10 years ago
The rule is an aircraft must maintain a distance of 500' from any obstacle.
If your submission is correct that they were at an altitude of 100' 3 miles out, it could strongly suggest the aircraft was on final approach and was affected by a strong "downdraft" which are common in thunderstorm conditions.
Strong thunderstorm downdrafts "push" an aircraft uncontrollably downward and are most deadly on take off and especially more so on final approach when an aircraft is already in a "descending or sinking attitude".
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictiona…
Clamshell 10 years ago
Oh, gee thank you for that valuable dictionary link to "downdraft." Gosh, how could I ever get by without such help.
In return, here's a link to a practice known as "scud-running" -- you won't find it in a formal dictionary, so just ask a pilot about it: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scud_run…
SP 10 years ago
LOL......Actually I do not have to ask a pilot anything, because I am also a qualified pilot speaking from training and experience.
It is very unlikely a highly experienced captain Thurston would be scud-running at 100' 3 miles out in a Citation jet. Firstly, any pilot would consider such an action as a suicide wish at best even under perfect flying conditions. Attempting it during a thunderstorm with the ever present possibility of frequent downdrafts would be totally unthinkable to even a rookie pilot. Secondly, as the port is in direct path of approach Thurston definitely would have had visual of the container port at 100'.
Speculation and theories of possible scenarios though interesting, are useless. We will know as much as can be known after the investigation is completed.
Clamshell 10 years ago
Actually, in my experience it's highly experienced pilots who are cocky enough to scud-run more often than cautious, nervous rookies. However, Roger all ... speculation on scud-running is no more or no less definitive or valuable than speculation on downdrafts. Over, out.
TalRussell 10 years ago
Comrades of course many important answers as to why the jet cashed remain unanswered. The cellular conversation has been made public and that is not left to guesswork. According to a statement attributed to Comrade Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell, a commercial airliner taking the same route as the private plane had turned back shortly before the accident because severe weather and heavy rain made it too dangerous for them to continue their decent. Whatever was going on in the cockpit between the pilot and co pilot or in cabin of the private jet, while descending for landing under such potentially dangerous weather conditions, cell phones should have all been turned-off. Weather conditions at the time were well known to polite for taking off from Nassau's airport. In fact Ambassador Andrew Young made a decision not board the flight due due to poor weather conditions.
spoitier 10 years ago
That plane should have turn back like the other planes because of bad weather but the cell conversation had nothing to do with it.
dfitzerl 10 years ago
Cell phones have nothing to do with avionics. Its all related to cabin crew ability to communicate with passengers
John 10 years ago
Who was the richest Bahamian in the Bahamas ever? Estimated to worth 2.5 billion dollars.
SP 10 years ago
The Symonette family's holdings have never been publicly confirmed, but public speculation has placed it between $700 million and $2.5 billion USD.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_The…
John 10 years ago
The Symnonettes interest in Commonwealth Bank alone is more than $700 million and the Johnstones are said to be worth more but there is a Bahamian even more wealthy than them who was earning up to $20 million some months just on his investments in the stock market alone.
SP 10 years ago
Who dat?
TalRussell 10 years ago
In a top secret US leaked diplomatic cable between the US Embassy in Bahamaland and the US State Department then Comrade Charge d'affaires Brent Hardt, a neighbour of then DPM Brent Symonette, did not only describe Comrade Brent as a no-nonsense leader with limited tolerance for inefficiency but a man who despite a' personal wealth of $56 million as reported in his MP's Disclosure Statement, that his true wealth could far exceed a Quarter-Billion-Dollars, but still lives modestly and in normal house and supports many causes without fanfare and quietly behind-the-scenes. Yet, the reds do not have this decent man on their red shirts November 21st Leadership Convention Ballot. Is there no room for a Comrade Brent to participate at the very top of the red party? Personally, I believe the reds should Draft Comrade Brent to be on their party's leadership ballot. Reality is In 2017, even with fancy campaign lyrics jingles, a Minnis or Loretta can not become PM. Brent has no jingle but a better shot at restoring the red party as a real government-in-waiting, official opposition party. No Palace, No private jet. No presidential-like motorcades. If there is one white (lick-da-brush) Bahamalander both the PLP and even Hubert should never underestimate his popularity among all Bahamalanders, I would say it has be Comrade Brent. Get this man on red shirts November 21 Convention Ballot, or be prepared for a Papa Hubert return?
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