A Canadian charter airline says its pilots and flight attendants are being imprisoned in dangerous, inhumane conditions in the Dominican Republic after reporting to police what turned out to be 200 kilograms of cocaine stashed inside their plane.
The aircraft – a Bombardier regional jet that until two years ago was flying under the Air Canada Express banner – is being held at Punta Cana airport after the discovery of the drugs late last week.
Pivot Airlines said its crew found the contraband in a maintenance compartment that contained “critical” electrical gear and reported the find both to local officials and the RCMP.
A maintenance worker who was part of the crew had opened a small door under the plane’s fuselage to access the “avionics bay” when he noticed a single bag. Not sure whether it was contraband, a bomb or something else, the man immediately reported the discovery, said a source familiar with the situation. Dominican police searched the space and found the other seven sacks.
The employees averted a likely air disaster that could have been caused by the extra weight and the flammable packages being close to electrical equipment, said the company.
The avionics bay is in a cramped crawl space and needs good airflow to avoid over-heating, which would have been compromised by the array of cocaine parcels, said the source, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation.
The crew members are now being held in separate detention facilities. The men are inside a communal cell with accused drug criminals, said the company in a statement.
“They do not speak the language, have been identified as reporting the contraband to authorities and fear for their safety,” said Pivot. “We are deeply concerned for the safety, security and ethical and humane treatment of our crew.”
Discussion about this post