WARMINGTON: Detained Canadian flight crew want Trudeau air rescue

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Since he’s within the space, 5 Canadians caught in a authorized hell within the Dominican Republic are hoping to hitch a journey residence from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

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Fearing they might by no means get out of the island nation, a member of the flight crew held for 120 days after medication have been situated on their aircraft is inviting Trudeau to select them up with the federal government jet when getting back from his summer time trip.

“Why not? He’s in Costa Rica, which isn’t removed from right here,” stated Alexander Rozov. “It has been very onerous for us right here.”

If Trudeau have been to drop in with Canada’s jet used to take his household to Costa Rica, it might be the primary time the 5 members of the Pivot Airways flight crew — held after alerting authorities there was a $25-million bag of cocaine on their 50-seat CRJ-100 passenger jet — would have had contact with him.

“We’ve not been capable of discuss with the prime minister or Overseas Affairs Minister Melanie Joly,” stated Rozov, who’s a flight attendant. “Even my MP, Nathaniel Erskine-Smith (Seashores-East York), has not answered any of my requests.”

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Whereas the crew did take photos in entrance of portraits of Canada’s leaders on the wall of the Canadian Embassy within the Dominican, they are saying they really feel alone, forgotten about and deserted.

Now Rozov, Capt. Robert Di Venanzo of Guelph, co-pilot Aatif Safdar of Hamilton, mechanical engineer Bal Krishna Dubey of Mississauga, and flight attendant Christina Carello of Brampton are taking their pleas public whereas encouraging the multiple million Canadians who yearly trip within the Dominican to rethink.

“Canadians ought to select some place else,” stated Rozov. “We’ve no rights right here and really feel like hostages. There isn’t a justice. We’ve not even been charged and even questioned however have frolicked in jail and home arrest.”

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It began April 5 at takeoff from Punta Cana towards Toronto.

“We have been blessed and cursed on the similar time,” stated Rozov. “There was a lightweight that one of many doorways was not closing correctly so when mechanics went to test it out, they discovered a hockey bag in a spot nobody would go and the place it shouldn’t be.”

The crew notified authorities, together with the RCMP again in Canada.

“We didn’t know what it was. Explosives? Medication? We had no thought.”

Six hours later after native regulation enforcement “causally” inspected the aircraft and found extra baggage of cocaine within the plane’s management compartments, all 5 have been positioned in handcuffs and brought to jail the place they have been held for 9 days in the identical facility with native suspects within the precise smuggling operation earlier than being given bail beneath home arrest.

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World Affairs Canada says the federal authorities “first precedence is at all times the protection and safety of its residents.”

“World Affairs Canada is conscious of the incident involving Pivot Airways within the Dominican Republic,” a spokesperson stated. “Canadian officers proceed to observe the scenario intently, are participating with native authorities, and offering consular help.”

“Resulting from privateness issues, no additional info might be disclosed,” the spokesperson added.

In the meantime, for these poor Canadians, this has been a large nightmare that received’t finish.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” stated Rozov. “We have been those who reported the crime. If we didn’t, these medication would have been delivered to Canada and be on our streets proper now.”

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Reality is, aside from to whoever was set to revenue from that cocaine, this flight crew are literally heroes. They aren’t being handled that means.

“It has been horrible,” he stated. “We’ve no freedom and lots of the crew have youngsters and household who’re affected.”

On bail, they’re set to be again in a Dominican courtroom Aug. 25.

“We haven’t been charged with something,” stated Rozov. “However we will’t get anyone to listen to us.”

When Trudeau met with Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader on the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles on June 10, the crew have been hopeful one thing would develop.

“All that was stated was that the court docket course of could be adopted,” stated Rozov.

It’s simply been a ready sport ever since.

“The entire thing is loopy,” stated Rozov. “We’ve had threats in opposition to us and it has been very aggravating.”

They wish to come residence. They don’t know if they are going to ever be permitted to. Since Trudeau is 1,770 km south in Costa Rica, the crew is hopeful their prime minister will step in and provides them a carry again to freedom.

“We might find it irresistible if he would cease by and decide us up,” stated Rozov.

jwarmington@postmedia.com