It was an emotional arrival at the Eugene Correia International Airport this afternoon as the Two Survivors were brought to Georgetown. This follows their extraction from the crash site this morning. A GDF aircraft brought in Lieutenant Andio Crawford and Corporal Dwayne Jackson. They are the only survivors of the seven military personnel who were on board that ill-fated Bell helicopter that went down in bad weather and in the mountainous terrain near Arau in the Essequibo. The Bell 412 Army Helicopter went down Wednesday morning after it took off from a refueling stop in the area.
The President, Commander in Chief, Irfaan Ali, the Prime Minister Brigadier retired Mark Phillips, the Chief of Staff Brigadier Omar Khan and other top brass of the Guyana Defence Force joined the immediate family and other relatives to witness the transfer of the survivors to the hospital.
Earlier today the Guyana Defence Force released photographs of the survivors at an aerodrome in the Middle Ekereku Cuyuni Mazaruni area. The survivors were being assisted by other uniformed personnel at that location.
The Five who died, all experienced and decorated officers and a staff sergeant were also being brought out. The military personnel who died are Brigadier retired Gary Beaton, Colonel Michael Shaoud, Lt Col Sean Welcome, Lt Col Michael Charles who was at the controls of the Helicopter and Staff sergeant Jason Khan.
This is the worst aviation crash in the history of the Guyana Defence Force.