Posted on February 17th, 2011
A Gulfstream V managed by New York City-based Arcadia Aviation was seized last week in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and the flight crew and passengers are being held by authorities, according to news reports. The jet, N886DT, is registered to Southlake Aviation of Irving, Texas, and is currently in Goma. The reports mention large amounts of cash being used to buy gold, but thus far no official information on the situation has been released. “We’re doing all we can to be cooperative,” Arcadia president Robert Garrett Jr. told AIN, “as the appropriate authorities in the U.S. and the DRC discuss how to resolve this political problem. Our primary focus has been to ensure the safety of the passengers and flight crew and the security of the aircraft while supporting our client. We’re an international company that focuses on long-range, large-cabin missions. We have aircraft that operate all over the world, including some areas that are more challenging than others. We have coordinated with the appropriate authorities in the U.S. to support a resolution with their counterparts in the DRC. Progress is being made and we look forward to the release and safe return of the passengers, flight crew and aircraft in relatively short order.” The DRC embassy in Washington has not responded to AIN’s phone call.
Tags: gulfstream
