The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

STILL not confirming that his plane, reported stolen, was in fact the one that crashed in Venezuela, Captain Randy Butler has alluded to someone at the Department of Civil Aviation signing a letter of approval for the missing plane to leave the airport.

In July of this year, 33-year-old Oran Munroe’s family reported the pilot missing, but days later he turned up in Venezuela after the plane he was flying crashed.

He was subsequently held by Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas Penales y Criminalísticas (CCIPC/Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigation Service Corps) along with Colombian pilot Nicolas Mayorga Cabrales for alleged drug trafficking.

At that time, Chief Supt Roberto Goodman confirmed with The Tribune that Mr Munroe sustained injuries from the crash, was seen by doctors in Venezuela and was being detained by Venezuelan authorities for drug trafficking.

Since then, nothing has been officially said about Mr Munroe until recently when a family member told The Tribune that he has not yet appeared before Venezuelan courts and has had two surgeries at a Venezuelan hospital due to injuries from the crash.

Three days after Mr Munroe was reported missing, Captain Randy Butler reported that his aircraft, C6ASC, had been stolen. Chief Supt Goodman confirmed that the aircraft was the same aircraft that had crashed in Venezuela.

There is nothing new to add from police, since the initial information given by Chief Supt Goodman.

The Tribune spoke to Captain Butler yesterday, but he said he has no further reports on his missing plane. “I am still waiting for information,” he said. “I don’t know where it happened, but I’ve been told it’s Venezuela and there’s no diplomatic (presence). I know it’s a police matter and that’s as much as I know.”

Asked if anything official has come back to him as yet, he said: “Nothing as yet. I don’t know a lot about what is happening. First I have to assume that it’s my plane. If I start assuming that I have to assume everything else.

“Why don’t you ask Civil Aviation what happened to the plane? Call (an official in question) and ask him if he signed a letter for somebody’s plane that he knows is not theirs … it was a Saturday when they are not open to give somebody else approval to fly a plane that he has not registered, that should not be flown. And, how air traffic controllers get to release the plane to fly.”

The Tribune contacted the official suggested by Capt Butler at the Department of Civil Aviation, but his secretary only offered an email address to contact him. He did not respond to the emailed questions up to press time.

Continuing with Captain Butler, the owner of the now defunct Sky Bahamas, The Tribune asked if there was an insurance claim filed as yet for the missing plane. Captain Butler felt the question was unnecessary and that other stories should instead receive the attention.

“A claim to who?” he said. “I have to assume that this is all happening. I have reported my airplane stolen to the police and nobody has come back to me with anything, period. What will I file a claim and say?

“Is this that important? Have you ever called and found out why a whole airline with almost 100 people employed, vendors, and families, all destroyed because a government decided not to renew the air operator’s certificate? I have not heard anybody deal with that story. “Why? I have no confidence in the media, because I feel it is very biased and controlled by wicked people.”

He continued, “They all have a personal agenda, right from deciding who they want to be in government. They don’t hide that and do such a bad job at it.”

The Bahamas has no diplomatic presence in Venezuela, however, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell told The Tribune that his ministry will assist if necessary.

Foreign Affairs officials under the former administration assisted Oscar Munroe, father of the detained pilot, in getting to Venezuela to deal with his son’s situation.

Mr Mitchell said, “The ministry is in touch with the family and stands by to assist where we can.”

Oscar Munroe, former Family Island administrator, believed to still be in Venezuela, did not want to comment when contacted this week.