Farmer demands compensation from plane owner

The owner of the cassava farm at Gamadzra, near Aflao, Mr Edjawordor Kudzordzi into which the Togolese registered single engine aircraft crash-landed last Friday is demanding compensation for the crops damaged.

Mr Kwabena Akuoko Oduro, Superintendent of Police in-charge of Aflao District, who told the GNA on Monday, could not immediately mention how much Mr Kudzordzi was demanding.

He said Mr Philipe Gercein, owner and Pilot of the "Piper PA 32 aircraft, was prepared to compensate the farmer but requested that any talks on the issue should be after the plane was hauled.

Mr Oduro said Mr Gercein's view was that the extent of damage to crops could be known after the haulage during which more of the crops would be destroyed.

Mr Oduro said the team of investigators dispatched to the accident scene by the Ghana Aviation Authority last Saturday had completed preliminary investigations and had released the plane to the owner.

He, however, said the investigating team did not disclose its findings to the Police.

Mr Oduro said permission had been sought for the aircraft to fly Ghana airspace and, therefore, no regulation of the GAA had been breached.

The plane, marked 5V-TPK, flying from Abidjan to Lome crash-landed in the cassava farm last Friday following an engine failure.

Mr Gercein, 56 and Mary Abui, 27, his Togolese friend on board escaped unhurt.