cannabisnews.com: Drug-Eradication Plane Missing in Bahamas Drug-Eradication Plane Missing in Bahamas Posted by FoM on October 02, 2001 at 07:13:32 PT By Keny Feijoo Source: Miami Herald A small plane that was part of a Colombian drug-eradication program disappeared Monday in the Bahamas on its way to Patrick Air Force Base in Cocoa Beach, State Department and Coast Guard officials said.The two-seater plane left the Turks and Caicos Islands early Monday morning, said Susan Pittman, a State Department spokeswoman in Washington, D.C. The Federal Aviation Administration told the pilot to try to land in Freeport, but that was the last contact with the aircraft, said Verla Davis, a spokeswoman at Patrick, home of the State Department Air Wing. She said she did not know why the pilot was urged to land.The Coast Guard said the only person aboard was a pilot with 20 years of experience with the State Department, which contracts with Virginia-based DynCorp to do the spray program. The pilot's identity was not released.Pittman said the plane was on its way back from Colombia when it stopped in the Turks on Sunday night. It took off Monday morning.At about 10:20 a.m., the Miami Airport Control Tower lost communication with the pilot.Early today, the Coast Guard still had one plane searching for the aircraft.Petty Officer Robert Suddarth said the pilot might have been looking for a spot to land because of bad weather conditions.Pittman said she also was briefed that there might have been problems with the weather.In 1996, the Clinton administration quietly contracted with U.S. civilian pilots to fly drug-crop eradication missions over Colombian territory that is protected by well-armed guerrillas working in concert with narcotics traffickers.Eradication pilots have one of the most perilous jobs in the drug war, flying at treetop level over coca and poppy fields protected by armed rebels and growers. Herald staff writers Elaine de Valle, Phil Long and Jacqueline Charles contributed to this story.Source: Miami Herald (FL)Author: Keny FeijooPublished: Tuesday, October 2, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Miami HeraldContact: heralded herald.comWebsite: http://www.miami.com/herald/Related Articles & Web Site:Colombia Drug War Newshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/colombia.htm U.S. Must Look Beyond Plan Colombia http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11017.shtmlMeanwhile, Back in Colombia http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10960.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by Rainbow on October 02, 2001 at 20:36:45 PT leefmyner I think you have the correct definition of terrorist without the spin. bravo. Now if people realize that FBI observer equates to FBI assassin we are on our way to breaking the spin code a little bit more.Terrorism is terrorism no matter who is dishing it out.Rainbow Live peacefully and try not to hurt anyone. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by kaptinemo on October 02, 2001 at 11:45:34 PT: If you live by the sword... you learn very quickly they have two edges...and one is bound to slash you. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by leefmyner on October 02, 2001 at 08:32:51 PT Another One Bites the Dust! That's one terrorist who won't be terrorizing the people of south america any more. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment