4 Guyanese firefighters charged with theft following Fly Jamaica crash
Posted December 5, 2018 9:28 pm.
Last Updated December 5, 2018 9:47 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Four Guyanese firefighters have been charged after items were allegedly stolen from bags following a crash-landing at the island airport last month.
The Fly Jamaica flight bound for Toronto crash-landed on Nov. 9 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport after the plane developed a hydraulic problem about 40 minutes after takeoff.
Cash and gadgets belonging to both passengers and crew members were removed from the Boeing 757-200 when the firefighters were helping passengers off the plane.
Invor Bedessee, a Toronto passenger on the flight, says several items including an iPhone and over US$1,000 in cash were missing from his bag when it was returned to him following the crash landing.
“I am very upset … My life flashed before my eyes, I was and still am in total shock,” he told CityNews. “The least of my worries should be if my personal items are safe.”
Guyanese police confirm to CityNews that 38-year-old Collis Williams, a section leader with the Guyana Fire Service, has been charged with simple larceny while firefighters Aubrey Frank, 30, Jammie Kingston, 30 and Roiden Kennedy, 27 were all charged with possesion of stolen property. All four have pleaded not guilty and were released on $100,000 bail. Their case will be brought before the courts again on December 12.
There were 82 Canadians among the 118 people on board on the flight. Global Affairs Canada said one Canadian citizen died a week after the crash.
A Toronto-based law firm has filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the passengers.
