By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

A RELATIVE of missing passenger Stephen Sawyer says the family will continue to search for him as they “believe wholly and solely” that he’s alive, more than three weeks after the plane he was on crashed in waters near Salina Point.

The family member spoke after a preliminary report by the Air Accident Investigation Authority into the plane crash off Acklins earlier this month said there has been no recovery of the aircraft or its occupants. 

The report released yesterday, noted that since March 5 when Sawyer and pilot Cliff Dean went missing, there has been no recovery of the aircraft or its occupants.

Speaking to The Tribune, Sawyer’s brother Charles Sawyer, said the family has not given up hope despite what the report says.

On the morning of March 5, the men were headed to the Dominican Republic where Sawyer owns a business, when the plane went down in the ocean.

According to the report by Chief Investigator Captain Delvin Major, at 5.17pm the AAIA was notified that a Piper PA-28-161 aircraft headed to the Mathew Town Airport in Inagua was overdue.

The plane left Nassau at 7am and information contained in the flight plan estimated the trip would have a duration of three hours and 20 minutes.

However, there was no cancellation of the flight and checks by Nassau Air Traffic Control revealed that the aircraft did not reach its intended destination.

Mr Sawyer said: “We can’t afford to give up. We have searched Great Inagua, Little Inagua, Mayaguana, Acklins and we have one cay left. Somebody down there, as soon as the weather eases up, will do the last one.

“If nothing pops up then we are in contact with Cuban authorities and are trying to get whether two Bahamians entered there or were in their space. If they were in Cuban waters they will keep them there until it can be determined that there was no nefarious reasoning for being there.

“We are still actively searching.”

They have not been discouraged by the report, Mr Sawyer telling this newspaper that at times dead ends are “good signs”.

“Sometimes you come up with dead ends but sometimes that’s a good sign because that means they aren’t dead. That keeps you going because if you don’t find a body, there is still a possibility they are still alive, which I believe wholly and solely.

“We are still grateful to aviation and the Defence Force, the US and BASRA because they helped us. Even though the effort has been downgraded to search and recovery but we are in contact with them constantly.

“We just decided to band together and a couple people down south have been able to search and they know the area better than us so (we) have to rely on them.”

He said loved ones were aware of the report before it was released and view it as a formality in instances like this one.

The AAIA report further noted that the last radio communication with Air Traffic Control via Exuma Flight Information Services was at 8.06am.

“At this point in flight, Miami ARTCC (Air Route Traffic Control Centre) provided radar coverage. At approximately 80 miles northwest of MYIG, the aircraft target dropped from Miami Centre Radar. The last known position of the aircraft was 22° 05.352N 074° 26.136W,” the report said.

Not long after, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) Operations Command Centre received reports of the overdue aircraft and initiated their emergency protocols.

“Bahamas Air Navigation Services and RBDF made contact with airports in Mayaguana, Exuma, Crooked Island, Long Island, San Salvador and Ragged Island, with all reporting negative aircraft sighting.

“The United States Coast Guard assisted the RBDF in search and rescue efforts, through the provision of aerial and maritime assets (C130 fixed wing, halo and coast guard cutter). RBDF vessels HMBS Kamalame and HMBS Lignum Vitae conducted searches to canvas the surrounding area.

“Search and rescue efforts continued into Wednesday March 10, 2021. After which, it transitioned into search and recovery mode. Up to the production of this report, there has been no recovery of the aircraft nor its occupants.

“A review of the maintenance records provided by the aircraft owner revealed that the aircraft was maintained in accordance with regulatory requirements. Evidence of an annual inspection, as required, was provided.”

The report said documentation was provided showing the most recent maintenance activity prior to the crash was conducted on February 6, 2021, which was a 50 hour inspection. 

The report notes it was not known if there were passenger and crew injuries or whether there had been aircraft damage, a fire or explosion.