Missing Dominican aircraft found in Caribbean; two crew members alive

Castries.- A Dominican Republic-registered aircraft that disappeared over the Caribbean Sea last week has been found, and the two crew members on board were rescued alive, authorities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines confirmed Monday.

The aircraft, a Beech 58P Pressurized Baron with registration HI-1145, vanished on Friday while traveling from Argyle International Airport in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to A.N.R. Robinson International Airport in Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago. The incident triggered a multinational search effort involving aviation, security, and emergency agencies across the Caribbean.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Clair Leacock announced that the aircraft had been located through coordinated efforts by national, regional, and international authorities. While confirming that both occupants survived and that no fatalities were reported, he declined to disclose the exact location where the aircraft was found or details surrounding the rescue.

“I cannot share all the information we have on this matter,” Leacock said during a radio interview, explaining that releasing additional information could compromise ongoing intelligence and investigative operations.

The twin-engine aircraft lost contact with air traffic controllers at approximately 11:52 a.m. on Friday while en route to Tobago. According to flight-tracking data, the aircraft was operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at an altitude of about 4,025 feet and a speed of approximately 142 knots before its signal disappeared.

Tracking information showed the aircraft’s last known position over the southern Caribbean Sea, near the territorial waters of Grenada or Venezuela, prompting concern among aviation authorities and family members awaiting news of the crew.

Officials from the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Sustainable Development said the aircraft had departed Argyle International Airport with two people on board and was expected to complete the flight to Tobago in just over an hour.

Following the disappearance, authorities maintained constant communication with regional security organizations, including the Regional Security System (RSS) and the Caribbean Community’s Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), as part of the search and investigation.

Leacock said authorities possess additional information related to the individuals involved in the flight but are withholding details while investigations continue.

The successful recovery of the aircraft and its occupants brings a positive conclusion to a major regional search operation that mobilized multiple Caribbean agencies after the Dominican-registered plane disappeared over open waters. Authorities are expected to release further information as the investigation progresses.