By Amin Kef (Ranger)
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education has on Monday September 23, 2024 issued an official statement regarding the unauthorized landing of a fourteen-seater aircraft at the Freetown International Airport (FNA) on Friday, September 20, 2024. The aircraft, en route from Liberia to Mexico, landed without prior clearance, sparking immediate action by airport authorities who have since launched a full investigation.
According to the Ministry, the plane had four occupants, including the flight captain. Three of those on board are Mexican nationals, while the fourth individual holds a Spanish passport. The Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA), along with the Office of National Security (ONS) and other security forces, are spearheading both technical and security investigations into the incident.
Unrecognized Departure: The aircraft did not depart from any recognized airfield in Liberia.
– Lack of Authorization: It landed without a permit and failed to make contact with Freetown’s Air Traffic Control before touching down.
– Falsified Registration: The aircraft was found to be operating under a fake registration number, with some parts of the registration visibly altered.
– Technical Irregularities: Although the crew claimed their radio malfunctioned, technical inspections confirmed the radio system was fully operational.
– Non-compliance with Authorities: Crew members refused to hand over their travel documents to Sierra Leonean officials, despite multiple requests.
– Suspicious Financial Incentive: The flight captain, who initially claimed he could not speak English, later communicated in English and disclosed that he had been paid $20,000 to pilot the plane from Liberia to Mexico.
After a thorough inspection of the aircraft, authorities reported that no suspicious items were discovered. The four individuals on board have since been transferred to the Sierra Leone Police for further investigation. In addition, two air traffic controllers involved in the incident have been brought in for questioning, raising the number of people under investigation to six.
The aircraft has been secured and its keys handed over to the ONS. Both police and army personnel are now guarding the plane at FNA as the investigation continues.
The SLCAA is expected to release a comprehensive technical report on the incident soon. Meanwhile, the public has been reassured that Sierra Leone’s airspace and the Freetown International Airport remain safe for normal flight operations.
