CAL plane still being repaired

THE Caribbean Airline (CAL) plane which collided with a wall at Piarco Airport in March is still being repaired.

This was the answer given by CAL in response to questions from Newsday.

In a brief statement, CAL said the plane is being repaired and insurance will cover the cost. The airline did not indicate what that cost could be. CAL also said this aircraft being out of service will not negatively affect the domestic airbridge.

"In addition to the CAL fleet there are two wet-leased aircraft operating on the airbridge," CAL said.

The aircraft was empty at the time of the incident and no one on the ground was injured. The the plane’s nose was badly damaged

A witness who wished to remain anonymous said the incident occurred around 10.30pm.

"It was maintenance that ran the aircraft into the building wall near the baggage makeup area, hitting an Airport Authority sign. It looked like maintenance was taking the aircraft into the hangar. What we saw is the aircraft lost power, the propeller cut off immediately and the aircraft started to drift on the runway, and it seemed like they weren't getting brakes.”

At a news conference in May, Finance Minister Colm Imbert, the line minister for CAL, said the incident would not disruptCAL’s flight schedule. Imbert said the airline had already leased a plane for the long vacation period, which had started service during Easter and will continue until September. He said the damaged plane was fully covered by insurance.