GCAA confirms Ghanair deaths and sets up probe

The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on Monday reported two boys died in a stowaway incident involving a Ghana Airways flight from Accra to London in which they hid in the undercarriage of the plane.

An investigation is underway to look into the incident that led to the deaths of the boys who were found frozen to death on arrival in Heathrow Airport in London on Saturday, GCAA said in a statement.

Two boys aged between 13 and 14 were discovered stowed away in the undercarriage bay of Ghana Airways flight GH760.

"GCAA has the safety oversight responsibility over Ghana Airways and has set up a investigative committee to look into the circumstances leading to this unfortunate incident," the statement said.

Earlier reports claimed a family of four was involved in the incident.

..and vows to probe

THE Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has set up a committee to look into the circumstances that led to the death of two boys believed to have stowed away on a Ghana Airways flight.

Members of the committee are drawn from the National Security Council, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), and the Safety Regulation Committee of the GCAA.

The acting Director-General of GCAA, Captain Joe Boachie, who made this known to the Airport Press Corps in Accra yesterday, said the GCAA is in touch with the Ghana Airways office in London for detailed reports on the incident.

He said the GCAA, which has safety oversight responsibility over Ghana Airways, has requested the airline to submit a written notification to the GCAA in accordance with the appropriate regulation of the industry.

Captain Boachie also refuted earlier reports that a family of four died in the incident.

“It has been confirmed from the London office that two boys, with ages between 13 and 15, who had stowed away by hiding themselves in the undercarriage bay of the aircraft met their untimely death,” he said .

He gave the assurance that the public would be informed as soon as the initial report of the committee is received.

Meanwhile, Heathrow security and health authorities are investigating the circumstances under which the two Ghanaians allegedly stowed away on a Ghana Airways flight.

Mr Ransford Akai, Head of Marketing of Ghana Airways, said the incident has become a coroner’s case, requiring the security and health authorities to carry out a thorough enquiry into the death of the two persons.

He said the airline authorities have not been able to establish whether the two were a family, neither have they determined their gender. Their ages are also unknown.

According to Mr Akai, there are, however, speculations that it was an adventure by two young men to travel the hard way.

He said investigations into the matter will be at the highest level because the incident is a major development in the aviation industry in Ghana.

Mr Akai explained that the Ghana Airways flight to London left Accra at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday and arrived in London at about 7 p.m. and that the incident delayed the return flight for about 12 hours.

He said the flight has since returned to Accra and left again last night for London.

Mr Akai said the flight is expected back in Accra at 5:30 p.m. today.