KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The Jamaica government has assured that all the passengers and crew on board an aircraft that landed here last Thursday are due to leave the island on Tuesday.
The German-registered aircraft with 253 passengers, mainly Indian nationals and crew members, has now been given the requisite approvals for operation from the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority.
In a statement, the Ministry of National Security said, “Despite having arrangements in place for accommodation and departure from the country, the passengers were refused entry by immigration officials, based on security concerns uncovered during their processing at the airport.
“The Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), in collaboration with the Jamaica Constabulary Force, has been leading the operational response since their arrival,” it said, adding that local authorities routinely screen passenger flights for security threats, possible breaches of law and regulations.
The ministry said that in this instance, while it was alerted to the flight operation based on what appeared to be anomalies and missing details from its initial permit application, the necessary supporting documents were later supplied to satisfy the requirements for obtaining a permit to operate in Jamaica.
“Notwithstanding, the ministry continued to consult with law enforcement while the flight received clearance to operate, and the immigration authorities undertook pre-screening activities, as per standard operating procedures.”
The National Security Ministry said that when the flight landed in Jamaica, it was discovered that two passengers did not appear on the submitted passenger manifest.
“This led to further investigations by PICA, and based on those enhanced checks, PICA decided not to grant the passengers leave to land in Jamaica. Given the flight’s duration and civil aviation regulations for the minimum rest period before clearance to operate safely, it was deemed impractical to detain the passengers in the plane or at the airport.”
The ministry said that the passengers and crew had reservations at a hotel in downtown Kingston and, on that basis, they were allowed to leave the airport on humanitarian grounds and were escorted to the hotel by law enforcement and immigration personnel.
“This form of supervised release is in keeping with the provisions of the Immigration Restriction (Commonwealth Citizens) Act and Aliens Act,” the ministry said, adding that the cost of their accommodation and return will solely be the responsibility of the charter company and not the Jamaica government.
Meanwhile, the managing director of USC Airline Charter company, Klaus Martin, has accused Jamaican authorities of breaching international law by impounding the plane on the tarmac at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.
Martin told Radio Jamaica News that Jamaican authorities have yet to provide information about the reasons for preventing the flight from leaving.
“The citizens we had on board do not require a visa for Jamaica. We brought them there with good intentions and also to take them up with good intentions, which was then refused,” he said, calling it unacceptable that no explanation for the delay was given.
He said a flight manifest was sent in advance to Jamaica. USC Charter is registered in Germany and operates out of Frankfurt.
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