More questions into plane crash in Dominican mountains

SANTO DOMINGO.- The circumstances surrounding the crash of the twin engine plane Thursday night in the village of Tireo, Constanza has sparked skepticism even though the Drugs Control Agency (DNCD) announced that 13 people are being questioned, including an Army lieutenant colonel, a sergeant major, an Air Force lieutenant, a former Police agent and seven others.

The initial information included reports that air line owner Rafael Rosado had been arrested, but his name was stricken from the local media just hours after the alleged detention.

Rosado, who is again reported as being held, is the alleged owner of the Piper aircraft type, registration N711WX. He is the owner of the local airline Carib-Air

The investigation is conducted by a special commission, formed by the Armed Forces, the Civil Aviation Agency (IDAC), the DNCD and the Air Force.

In addition to Rosado, a Venezuelan, two Americans and a Puerto Rican are being held.

The accident killed Leyba Eduardo Perez and the pilot Victor Hugo Sanchez.

Leyba, who apparently served as co-pilot of the aircraft, was a police captain assigned to the DNCD in Puerto Plata.

The twin-engine plane left Constanza’s Junio 14 airfield and went down 9 miles from there.

11kilos

Although the authorities are investigating on whether there is any residue of controlled substances in the charred plane, a source in Constanza affirms that at least 11 packages, weighing an estimated 1 kilo each, have already been seized at the crash site.

The source also told DT that the plane was being worked on for several days and took off “in a hurry” belching so much smoke from the engines, that “it looked as if was a crop duster.”