Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Stolen Beechcraft Super King Air 200 (N871C), fuel from another plane, pilots linked to drug trafficking - Another major scandal rocks Dominican military


Santo Domingo. - The airplane stolen from La Isabela International Airport (AILI) in Higüero was flown out of the country by two foreign pilots linked to drug trafficking, allegedly helped by Army lieutenant John E. Percival Matos, according to the investigation thus far.

The case is latest involving members of the military in drug scandal, which include former Army captain Quirino Paulino, the Navy officers in the Paya, Bani murders of seven Colombians, Army colonel José Amado Gonzalez in the Puerto Rican kingpin Jose Figueroa Agosto, among others.

The twin turboprop property of the resort group Puntacana flew toward Venezuela, according to Las Americas International Airport’s air traffic control radar.

Percival Matos, son of retired general Rafael Percival Peña, was arrested Tuesday, said Airport Security Corp and Civil Aviation (CESAC) spokesman Fidel Sanchez.

Investigators said the junior officer helped the plane’s thieves by hiding to wait for the airport to close in hangar 26, of the company Aerointer, where his wife Ginsellys Halversoni Vásquez had worked for three weeks. He then refueled the Beech King Air 200 with fuel stolen from another craft in hangar 16 of the company Santo Domingo Motors.

Percival Matos was reportedly paid as much as US$250,000 to help steal the plane valued at 2.5 million dollars.

Security agencies determined that an airport sentry heard an aircraft at 3:00am Sunday and went to check the hangars along with an official of the airports management company Aerodom, and then the watchmen of the hangar of the carrier SAP radioed that they had heard the sound of a plane in the back part of the facility

The plane took off with its lights and those of the runway turned off, but the control Las Americas tower detected it after it had set course for South America.

At 8:30am that same Sunday a Puntacana employee reported the theft of the plane registry N871C.

Percival Matos was arrested yesterday and sent to Police headquarters for interrogation by the commission in charge of the case, headed by the CESAC, the Dominican Civil Aviation Institute (IDAC) and other agencies.

The suspect is reportedly the brother in-law of retired lieutenant colonel Jose Miguel Gonzales Vanderhorst, serving time in Najayo prison on a drugs conviction.

Investigation:  Theft of airplane

Las Americas airport. A committee of the Armed Forces and National Police is investigating the theft of the group executive jet Punta Cana, stolen by unknown of its hangar at the International Airport Joaquin Balaguer "The fig tree," Sunday morning, approximately at 3:20 am.

The stolen aircraft is a turbo-pro model 2000, marks Viscrat-200, U.S. registration N871C owned subsidiary of The Airport Corporation (SAC II LPD), valued at $ 2.5 million.

Reportedly, at the time of the theft of the aircraft, an executive jet, the airport was closed and its operations suspended, and that only works until 12 midnight tonight.

Authorities found the entrance to the hangar in a golf cart and several empty jugs, so that thieves set the ship to complete the supplied fuel.

Technicians worked on the AILA Control Tower realized that a ship is moving in the airport of Higüero so raised the alarm, but the plane had taken off and his last contact was 25 miles south of Republic Dominican.

For the case is under investigation throughout the military and civilian personnel who worked at the airport Higüero from Saturday night until Sunday. Civil Aviation Authorities issued a note to warn the world of a stolen aircraft.

The researchers hypothesize that there was compromise, because those who stole the aircraft are familiar with the airport, then, could easily penetrate to the tank and carry jet fuel in containers, which is unusual for this airport.

Safety deficiency

Joaquin Balaguer International Airport, despite being a terminal where aircraft are stored costly in the evening does not have great vigilance by the Specialized Airport Security Corps (CESA). Added to this is that the terminal has no surveillance system monitored or closed circuit camera, and at night reduces staff in all areas, as from midnight cease operations and 80% off the lights .

Description

A report says that the aircraft is capable of developing 500 kilometers per hour and with a full tank can go from the Dominican Republic to the closest countries in South America. It is recalled that in March 2010 as authorities investigated the "mysterious" in which a plane took off from this airport (Higuera) with an enrollment supplanted and a false flight plan.

http://www.laperladelacostanorte.com
http://www.dominicantoday.com

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