Bocas-bound plane loses cargo door

  A cargo door on Bocas Air Companypland detached mid-flight to Bocas del Toro, 20 minutes after taking off from the Marcos A. Gelabert airport in Albrook, with eight passengers on board.

The incident did not cause injuries, but the passengers suffered distressing moments reports  La Prensa. The Civil Aeronautics Authority (AAC) confirmed that the aircraft returned to the airport minutes after taking off this Saturday, at 2:57 p.m.

“Once [the plane] has taken off, the rear baggage door opened and several suitcases fell into the void,” reported the AAC.

“The pilots made the incident report. Unofficially, during the rotation, the crew detected the opening of the door; the takeoff was carried out [and] the situation was reported to the [control] tower and they returned to the airport. No affected people were reported,” an AAC source told La Prensa.

Air Safety inspectors are in the hangar where the aircraft is. “We are waiting for the Accident Investigation Office to start the proceedings of an incident of this magnitude,” the source explained.

The Bocas Air Company received permission to operate in a quick period of time, according to full credit sources. The sources question the whole process to receive the permits, not to mention that the planes are quite old.