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Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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Pilot & Two Passengers' Escape Unhurt, Rescued

Tonight three people are lucky to be alive after the Tropic Air Cessna they were travelling in experienced engine failure, and crash-landed in the sea between Turneffe and Lighthouse reef. But, the Captain, Denfield Borland showed remarkable grace under pressure and safely ditched the plane in a shallow area near to an island - where the Coast Guard and Belize Audubon Rangers were able to rescue him and two passengers.

The Civil Aviation Department has confirmed that the distress call came into the control tower at the PGIA at 4:17 pm from a Tropic Air Cessna 182 headed to Roatan. Pilot Borland told them that the single engine Cessna was experiencing difficulties and would not be able to reach its destination or any other airport, and would be making a water landing in the vicinity of Half Moon Caye.

Civil Aviation immediately activated the Coast Guard stationed at the Turneffe Atoll and the Belize Audubon Society - which operates a station at Half-moon caye. It is estimated that the plane went down at around 4:45, and at 5:09 PM, the joint team found the pilot and two passengers - reportedly on a safety raft which was onboard the plane.

The Coast Guard is now taking them to Blackbird Caye where Tropic Air will then handle the logistics.

Civil aviation says it will CARRY OUT A FULL AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION.

Experts tell us that the plane was flying at a few thousand feet when it experienced engine failure and this gave the pilot at least five minutes to coast and plot the safest landing area in shallow water, near to an island. The pilot is reportedly very experienced and is classed as a senior captain.

The aircraft is reported to be fairly new and the only one with what is known as a glass cockpit with the latest electronics. But, all that didn't prevent if from experiencing engine failure and taking a dive into the sea. IT's a real miracle all persons have been saved and no one was hurt, but it's also another bad mark on the record of Tropic Air. We'll have more on the story tomorrow.

Channel 7





Joined: Oct 2001
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Great work by pilot, and quick rescue by Coast Guard.
I think this is what you call very good bad luck.

And in pilot jargon, it was not a crash, it was a water landing?

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Why such sensationalism? "Plunged in the sea!" Indeed - sounds like he made a very good soft landing and the plane stayed afloat. Good work.


Harriette
Take only pictures leave only bubbles
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Originally Posted by ScubaLdy
Why such sensationalism? "Plunged in the sea!" Indeed - sounds like he made a very good soft landing and the plane stayed afloat. Good work.


I thought the same until I saw photos of the plane upside down in the water.

Passengers left country already so probably won't get a report from them. So glad they are ok, and the pilot should be commended for good work...... He got everybody down safely.

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Marty Offline OP
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Joined: Jul 2000
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The Coast Guard and the Audubon people did a great job of rescuing Pilot and pax. Hats off to them all.


Reality..What a concept!
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Wet drop


Belize based travel specialist
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D
2 questions...

Did the plane cartwheel? It looks upside down.

Is Tropic, the GOB , or the Coast Guard dealing with the issue of the fuels and oils in the water???


DC

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Originally Posted by Decompression
2 questions...

Did the plane cartwheel? It looks upside down.

Is Tropic, the GOB , or the Coast Guard dealing with the issue of the fuels and oils in the water???


DC


Other than salvaging the airplane and letting Mother Nature take over, what would you suggest be done?

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Marty Offline OP
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Tropic Air Flight 9N2300 (PASSENGER ACCOUNT & CLARIFICATION)

Dear Marty,

I hope this note finds you well. I am one of the three plane crash survivors from this week's incident aboard Tropic Air flight 9N2300 from Belize City to Roat�n, Honduras on Tuesday, June 2nd.�

Background Information:�My name is�Arthur Rogi�rs�(professionally known as "Rogi�rs"). I am a native of the St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands and currently reside in Washington, D.C. I am a professional singer-songwriter, producer, recording artist, musician and educator with a 25+ year career in the entertainment industry. I had been in Belize (San Pedro) on both business and pleasure. At the time of the crash, I was ending my stay in Belize and heading to Honduras for my last day in the region before returning to the states. It had been �my second trip to both Belize and San Pedro- my stay in Roat�n was to be for the second time in this particular visit.

Account:�I write to clarify the misreporting that has been transmitted subsequent to our airplane incident on Tuesday.�This misreporting I understand has been the result of (as best I can tell) an errant account of events by the Coast Guard and a lack of updates and clarification by Tropic Air. While it is true that the Coast Guard�did�recover us from the widlife sanctuary and island near the crash site-the recovery�did not take place twenty (20) minutes�after the crash landing,�nor was the recovery at the actual crash site. After surviving the crash landing ("ditching") the pilot�-who ultimately pulled the two of us out of the aircraft as we had difficulties opening the passenger door as the plane was submerged and upside down-�informed us that we would all need to swim to the island where the Audubon Society was stationed. This was approximately three (3) miles away from our crash site, according to the pilot himself. At this time we encountered increasingly poor weather; torrential rain and driving wind.����As all three of us had no major injuries from the impact, were in good health and good swimmers (myself a former competitive swimmer and lifeguard), the pilot retrieved and inflated our safety raft.��The safety raft, we mutually agreed, would be better suited to carry our belongings/suitcases/travel documents.��The pilot informed us that the current would take us out to sea if we got into the raft and that if we swam�with�the raft-guiding and towing it-we would have a better chance of reaching the only island in which we could get helped. Upon checking that each of us was indeed OK, not injured and fit to swim-we began our next journey to the island in the elements.��We swam across the channel opposing the current in order to avoid being swept out to sea.��Numerous patches of coral reef along the way gave us momentary rest while simultaneously creating injury. We (myself first, leading the raft) climbed and crawled over and through these coral patches that stretched along the way between our crash site and the island. As we touched and climbed over these patches with our raft, we endured many deep cuts and scrapes in our effort to get past them and back into open water to swim. We encountered this at least four (4) times; although at the time we did not realize how damaging the coral was due to our adrenaline rush and survival instincts. We would only later realize the extent of our wounds.

At the point in which we arrived on the island shore I heard a little fishing boat powering up and leaving the dock. All of us eventually noticed the boat and waved to get its attention. In less than three (3) minutes we got their attention and [the guards] came over to attend and greet us. These people/guards stationed at this island were�the first�people we encountered. By now our 3 mile swim to the island in the rain storm was complete. Again, it lasted�at least�one hour. The men thankfully and gracefully took us in where we were able to collect ourselves, rest and reflect on what had happened. The pilot began to use the guards' radio to make his initial calls to Coast Guard and/or aviation authorities to report our new position and status to them. It is my understanding that during this moment that the coast guard was dispatched to retrieve us-as we were now safe, on land, fully accounted for and position confirmed.�We remained on this wildlife island well into the nighttime�and continuing rain before the coast guard arrived. Much longer than twenty minutes. I believe that we had likely been on that island an hour and a half (at least).�

We were escorted out (with our wet bags) to the receiving dock to meet the coast guard speedboat in the night as they greeted us. We thanked the men/guards from the island who initially recovered us after coming ashore and boarded the coast guard boat. We were told they had received orders to take us to Blackbird resort/island.�This trip in the night took at minimum 1 hour�due to the poor weather conditions and coral reef conditions in the area (the boat captain was careful to not speed through that delicate area for fear of damage to the boat or the reef). We later arrived at the resort, still in pouring rain, where we were graciously taken in by the manager and assigned rooms for the night and fed by the pleasant staff. The staff also washed and dried some of our items so that we could have clean clothes to wear for the night and the scheduled trip back to Belize which was arranged by Tropic Air.

Conclusion:�There is no possible way that the Coast Guard picked us up in 20 minutes.�They may have left to come get us within 20 minutes of the call (?) but even that call could not have been made prior to beingpicked up by the guards at the Audubon society on the first island-which was already at least one hour and fifteen minutes�after�the plane crashed into the sea. Additionally, even if the coast guard left to come within 20 minutes of the call, they did not actually show up on that island to retrieve us until well INTO THE NIGHT-as we had already been there waiting an hour and a half.

This clarification is not to cast aspersions on the coast guard or discredit their skill but to correct the record; for they eventually did pick us up and take us to where we could have�accommodations for the night. In that regard I am, we are (and were) very thankful. I just believe�it should not be reported by their officials or anyone else that we were recovered in twenty minutes time. That is simply not true.�Additionally, I read/heard via news outlets that Tropic Air began conducting immediate investigations on the pilot in accordance with standards and protocols-specifically in reference to blood tests�on the pilot that follow airplane crashes/incidents. Two things on this account: �(1) at no point did I observe any thing or behavior to cause my suspicion of the pilot's state of being or sobriety and (2)�there was absolutely no intervention�by Tropic Air�to conduct blood test(s) on the pilot as a part of an investigation on June 2nd-as we were in the ocean swimming for the first hour (or more) after the crash. Neither did tropic air conduct any official investigations upon arrival at Blackbird resort later that evening via the coast guard.�We encountered airline representatives for processing the next morning so this not only did not happen, this *could not* have happened.�

The next morning, June 3rd, Tropic Air flew us (and a few additional workers from the resort) back to Belize City. Upon arrival on the tarmac we were met by Tropic Air officials who were very concerned and helpful to us. We soon commenced a roughly two (2) hour period of processing in which we were carefully attended to; filling out (some) paperwork and rebooked on new flights to our various destinations. The captain was quickly separated from us (Arthur Rogi�rs, Eddie Bodden) for what I presume were his official airline and CAA investigations. During that time we were interviewed by the Civil Aviation Authority. The CAA gentlemen were very thorough in their line of questioning-however I did notice that they interviewed us only as a group and never singularly or via additional individual interview. Also our interview/deposition was administered via verbal questioning and testimony-on paper by the CAA representatives but�not with aid of an audio recording device. On the other hand, the Tropic Air representatives were very gracious, helpful and sympathetic to us but�we were never officially deposed by the airline for a sequential account of the events leading to and after the plane accident; only by the Civil Aviation Authority.�At the end Tropic Air�provided various forms of contact information as well as taking our information for future and continuing correspondence. After speaking with my sister and the US Embassy I was re-booked on a flight to Miami and Washington, DC later that morning and departed Belize City once investigations were completed. �While both my sister and I have been invited to openly correspond with Tropic Air representatives for further information and developments, as of this date (June 6th, 2015)�we have not had any correspondence, contact or inquiry initiated by anyone from Tropic Air subsequent to my departure from Belize City on Wednesday, June 3rd 2015.

I want to stress for the record my commendation of the pilots efforts, skills and choices in the plane crash on June 2nd. While Mr. Bodden and I were quite skilled and composed with quick reactions during and after the crash, the reality is that Captain Delfield literally pulled us out of the submerged aircraft that we were both struggling to get out of.�For that, and for his decision to ditch the plane where he did-and in the manner in which he did, I will forever be grateful and sing his praises.

Best�regards,

-Rogi�rs�
iTunes Link: www.itunes.com/rogiers


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