Pilot killed when small plane crashes during Antigua takeoff status of 3 passengers unclear

Monday, 08 October 2012 23:46

Accident - Accident and Incident

A tiny Caribbean airline’s plane crashed Sunday during takeoff at Antigua’s airport, killing the pilot.

The status of the three passengers aboard the FlyMontserrat plane was not clear after the accident at V.C. Bird International Airport.

The twin-engine Britten-Norman Islander plane crashed off a rain-slicked

runway about 4 p.m. It was headed from Antigua to the nearby island

of Montserrat

 

FlyMontserrat spokeswoman Karen Allen said she could only confirm the death of the pilot, whose name was not released.

In the early evening, Allen said the airline was gathering information about the crash and would issue a statement later.

But hours after the crash, the airline still had not released anything.

 

A police spokesman in Antigua did not immediately return calls.

The twin-engine Britten-Norman Islander plane crashed off a rain-slicked runway about 4 p.m. It was headed from Antigua to the nearby island of Montserrat, where the tiny airline is based.

 

Antigua’s airport was closed for at least an hour as emergency officials responded to the crash.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.(The Washington Post/AC)

 

Associated Press