Disappeared HI-1145 Plane Located, No Loss of Life: Minister Leacock

St. Vincent and Grenadines: The recently vanished HI-1145 Beechcraft Baron aircraft has not crashed and regional authorities are aware of its current location, according to Minister of National Security, St Clair Leacock.

The shocking update comes amidst growing concern and anticipation in the Caribbean over the Dominican Republic-registered HI-1145 private aircraft that departed Argyle International Airport in St Vincent at 11:52 a.m. on Friday and was scheduled to arrive at the ANR Robinson International Airport in Tobago after a mere 65 minutes long journey. The plane disappeared from the radar 40 nautical miles south of Argyle.

The statement comes from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security of St Vincent, Major the Honourable St Clair Leacock, “What I can say is that to the best of my knowledge that the aircraft has not crashed and there had not been a loss of life”.

He stated that a coalition of national, regional, and international agencies-including CARICOM IMPACS and the Regional Security System (RSS)-are actively tracking the situation. “They know where the plane is at,” Leacock stated. Adding that, there were 2 reported occupants on the flight and that authorities also “have names to associate with the planes”. 

The minister denied revealing the identities of the occupants as well as any other specifications related to the aircraft at this point as the intelligence operations investigation going on are at a “very delicate stage”. Sharing further detailed information with the public right now would compromise the ongoing work of the security agencies and potentially jeopardize safety, he cited.

The authorities are treating the matter as an intelligence and security matter, rather than a conventional search-and-rescue mission as indicated by the minister since he  linked the incident to wider regional security concerns.

This comes amidst the notice that authorities have observed an increase in unusual aircraft movements across the Caribbean amid intensified anti-trafficking operations. There has been a warning that some routes are being used for the movement of illicit cargo, including weapons and ammunition.

This has come under distinct scrutiny as almost a couple of years earlier, a similar incident happened when an aircraft traveling along the Canouan-St Vincent route vanished suddenly. The aircraft remains unaccounted for.