US Coast Guard Withdraws from Search

The United States (US) Coast Guard Cutter has called  off  its search for the  TBM900 aircraft that crashed in Jamaican waters near Portland, on Friday, September 5.

Civil/Military Cooperation Officer at the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Major Basil Jarrett, told JIS News today (September 7), that a Spokesman from the Cutter said it is unlikely  they will find any survivors at this time, so they are moving out.

Major Jarrett said the Air Wing and  Coast  Guard of the JDF will continue  the search and recovery  operation.

The aircraft, which crashed at approximately 1:10 p.m., departed from Rochester, New York, heading south to Naples, Florida, with two persons on board.

The aircraft was reported to be non-responsive to communication from United States Air Traffic Control, and is suspected of running out of fuel and crashing somewhere over the Caribbean Sea.

Speaking at  a press briefing, held at the Office of the Prime Minister on September 6, Commanding Officer of the JDF Coast Guard, Commander Antoinette Wemyss-Gorman, informed that a debris field was spotted on Friday, September 5, in an area about 24 nautical miles north of Port Antonio, in Portland.

However, she  said the JDF was unable to confirm that the debris sighted was from the aircraft, as by the time  they got to where it was seen, they did not find it.

“At this point, we will have to assume that the debris that we spotted sank,” Commander Wemyss-Gorman said.