Small Cargo Plane Caused Blockage at L’ Esperance Airport --- Air Antilles unable to leave St. Martin until Friday morning.

cargoplaneblockinggrandcaseairportrunway13092012Grand Case:--- A small cargo plane carrying the name "Cessnar Grand Caravan" encountered some mechanical failure as it was landing at the Grand Case (L'Esperance) Airport on Thursday afternoon. According to witnesses at the Airport, the cargo plane just stopped at the middle of the runway. One eyewitness said that Air Caraibes was circling the Grand Case area for more than forty five minutes before the pilot decided to land at the Princess Juliana International Airport while Air Antilles was unable to leave St. Martin.

Commandant of the Gendarmerie Paul Betaille confirmed that the aircraft encountered some mechanical failure at the middle of the runaway. Betaille said that the firemen and other mechanical workers were trying their best to remove the aircraft but they were not successful on Thursday afternoon. Betaille said it is expected that the aircraft will be removed sometime Thursday evening and the airport will reopen for regular services on Friday morning. The head of the Gendarmerie also made clear that no one was hurt during the incident.