Aviation Security Under Scrutiny Following Tropic Air Hijacking

Amid the aftermath of today’s frightening ordeal, many are now questioning how a weapon and a firearm were allowed on a passenger plane. The Belize Airports Authority (BAA) says that while investigations continue, it reassures the public that safety and security remain top priorities at all municipal airstrips across Belize. The entity says that in line with its commitment to enhance aviation security, it has been implementing comprehensive plans since January to introduce enhanced security protocols. According to the BAA, the measures include passenger bag checks and the installation of scanning equipment, which align Belize’s municipal airstrips with international best practices. Additionally, it says a phased rollout of these initiatives, in collaboration with the Department of Civil Aviation and operating airlines, is expected to commence in the coming weeks. Today, former General Manager of the BAA, Thea Garcia-Ramirez, confirmed the measures and spoke about the unfortunate ordeal. She underscored that the organization has been working for months to devise ways of beefing up security at the various municipal airports. 

Thea Garcia Ramirez, Corozal Bay Area Representative: “I know that there will be more security features. It’s always a bit of a pushback because of course that might entail costs. Again to the visitors, to the people that use those aerodromes and also in terms of time because to go through security screening you won’t be able to board a flight if you come five minutes ahead of the flight and that I believe will now become a thing of the past. You will have to have some lead time, get there, clear some sort of security and then be able to board your flight. So things change and I think for the most part Belize was a low level security threat if you will and I think that has probably just changed and there will be changes coming and I hope that people are understanding, that people realize that these things need to be done and that they cooperate and we don’t have a lot of pushback from the public in terms of the airlines requiring you to be there maybe 40 minutes, half an hour ahead of your flight insisting that you have to go through security clearance as well and that sort of thing. So I think this has highlighted the need for it. It certainly is already in the works. I can assure and I can corroborate that BAA has been for the last six to nine months working on heightened security plans.”

While the BAA says it has commenced efforts to increase security concerns, the Commissioner of Police Chester Williams stated today that the matter will be discussed in detail by the country’s security forces. 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “I am sure this is going to be something that is going to be discussed intensely at the next National Security Council meeting. I know we have commenced dialogue in terms of looking at our local flight security. The time has come for us to look at it more indepthly and see what adjustments can be made. I’m sure that there’s going to be input from the airport authority in this respect so it’s a matter more for the National Security Council to determine what is going to be done moving forward where security one these planes are concerned.”

Reporter: So how lax is security at the Corozal airstrip ? 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “I cannot say how lax it is, at this time I cannot….I can’t say because I don’t think we have that system yet where we do rigid search. It is only at the PGIA where you have to pass through a scanner to board a flight. At these airstrips they don’t have that kind of security. So maybe the time has come that we look in that direction to ensure that we have security measures at every airstrip once it is used for commercial purpose.” 

Reporter: While a second unrelated incident we know that when the aircraft was stolen in the south, maybe a year ago there were discussions in terms of security of these airports. Are you able to say whether any steps had been taken since that incident in terms of security or tightening of the airport ?
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “That is something that is going to be taken on by the Belize Airport Authority or Civil Aviation. What we have done at the different airstrips is to increase police patrol at those areas. At least hourly the police would go and make checks at the ai strips and make sure that everything is okay. But in terms of posting police officers at the airstrip we have not gotten there yet but we have encouraged the airlines to hire local security to man their assets at the different airstrips.”

The BAA also commend the swift and professional response of law enforcement and emergency agencies involved.