Trinidad and Tobago reports missing Dominican aircraft; international search protocols activated
Santo Domingo.- Dominican aviation authorities have received a preliminary technical report regarding the disappearance of aircraft HI-1145, a Beechcraft BE-58P registered to JM Espinosa Agroindustria, SRL, after air traffic authorities in Trinidad and Tobago declared a distress phase following the loss of contact with the aircraft in the Eastern Caribbean.
The alert was issued by the Area Control Centre (ACC) in Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago, which notified the Search and Rescue (SAR) Department of the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation after radar and communications contact with the aircraft was lost. In accordance with procedures established by the International Civil Aviation Organization, air traffic controllers activated a sequence of emergency protocols that culminated in the declaration of a DETRESFA distress phase, the highest level of alert for an aircraft believed to be in danger.
According to data from the Integrated Aeronautical Management System (SIAGA), the aircraft departed from Punta Cana International Airport on May 16 bound for Canouan Island Airport in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Flight records indicate that the aircraft remained active in the Eastern Caribbean, including a flight on June 10 that departed from and returned to Canouan, followed by a local flight on June 12 between airfields in St. Vincent and the Grenadines covering approximately 30 nautical miles.
Authorities reported that after departing from Kingstown on June 12, the aircraft lost radar contact and stopped communicating with ACC Piarco, prompting the activation of international search and rescue procedures. Dominican authorities are working closely with aviation agencies and international partners to monitor the situation and support efforts to determine the aircraft’s whereabouts.
The case remains under investigation as authorities continue to gather information and coordinate with regional aviation and emergency response organizations. The disappearance of HI-1145 has drawn attention across the Caribbean aviation sector due to the activation of international emergency protocols and the ongoing search efforts.
