Technical problems encountered by an aircraft forced airport officials to close the Virgin Gorda Airport for more than two hours on Sunday December 1, 2013. Photo: VINO

No less than thirty (30) passengers were stranded as the Virgin Gorda Airport was forced to close. Photo: VINO

The Virgin Gorda Airport was reopened shortly after 1 P.M. on December 1, 2013. VINO

Many persons were left stranded until after 1 P.M. when the airport was eventually reopened.

According to some passengers who spoke exclusively to Virgin Islands News Online, several chartered flights bound for Virgin Gorda on December 1, 2013 had to land at the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport at Beef Island instead.

“We are heading to Antigua. There are people that are going to San Juan and other places. We all had to be waiting here because our plane (Island Birds) developed some problem and could not move from the runway for a very long time,” an elderly couple said.

They were no less than thirty (30) persons affected by the uncalculated delay. “Well I don’t think that there was anyone who had to make connecting flights here in the BVI but some in other countries which they might miss but we can’t say for sure how many they are,” the elderly man said.

Asked if they were given any explanation as to what was the problem, the couple and others said they were told that there was a problem with the small charter and that the problem would be resolved soon.

A man identified as the owner of ‘Island Birds’ was seen with technicians attending to the stalled aircraft.

Official s at the airport declined to comment and efforts to reach senior officials of the BVI Airports Authority proved futile.

The airport was reopened shortly after 1 P.M. and traffic resumed immediately. The aircraft was eventually flown away without any passengers.